Family's tribute to victim Sam

The 23-year-old, pictured, was also described as a "fantastic mother" to her young daughter, who was just four-years-old when Miss Tapper died.

Yesterday Garry Harding, 22, from Welshpool, dramatically changed his plea and admitted murdering Miss Tapper and Annie Eels at Rachael's Health Studio, in Frankwell, Shrewsbury. He will be sentenced today.

North Wales-born Miss Tapper was the eldest of four children. Her mother, Jackie Jones, from Wolverhampton, had not known she had been working as a vice girl.

She said it had come as a complete surprise to her, but said she was still proud of her daughter whatever she did.

Mrs Jones said of her daughter: "My daughter Sam is a beautiful, kind and caring person and everyone who knows her would say the same.

"I remain extremely proud of my beautiful daughter, who lived life to the full and I know she will be sadly missed by everyone."

Her mother described her as a lively, energetic girl who had been popular at school. Born in Rhuddlan on Christmas Eve in 1982, she had a lifelong ambition to go to the Caribbean and was thought to be saving for a trip at the time of her death.

Mother-of-one Miss Tapper lived in Elliotts Court, Birmingham New Road, Wolverhampton, at the time of her death. Her neighbour Christine Lane said: "I only knew her a few months but she was such a lovely girl.

At an inquest held in November, pathologist Dr Edmund Tapp said Miss Tapper had received at least 14 blows to the face with a blunt instrument similar to a hammer.

Dr Tapp said that Miss Tapper had been lying on the floor of the first room of the flat when he was asked to certify her death, at 8.30pm on July 2 last year.

Grandmother Annie Eels was killed just two months after she and her husband Chris celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. The 55-year-old was described by her husband as a "bubbly and lively" woman who was "loved by everybody".

Mrs Eels' daughter Zoe Eels said: "My mum was an honest, decent person, she doted on her kids and her grandkids.

"She was the salt of the earth, she just loved life.

"It is going to leave a big hole in our lives, she was the backbone of this family."

A statement released by the family three days after her death said: "We wish it known that Annie was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, mutually respected by family, friends, customers and colleagues from the health spa, where she carried out her duties as receptionist."

Mrs Eels, of Llansantffraid, was thought to be working as a receptionist when she died along with Samantha Tapper, 23, on July 2 last year.

At the inquest last November pathologist Dr Edmund Tapp said Mrs Eels had received at least 16 blows to the face with a hammer-like instrument. Both died as a result of blunt force head injuries.

He said: "On Sunday, July 2, at the request of West Mercia Police, I went to a downstairs flat at 13 Frankwell, Shrewsbury, where I was met by a senior forensic investigator and other forensic investigators. He showed me a body of an adult female, sitting in a chair. She showed extensive head injuries.

"I certified death at 8.30pm and was told the body was believed to be that of Anne Elizabeth Eels." A service in memory of Mrs Eels took place at St Ffraid's Church, Llansantffraid, near Oswestry, on August 16 last year, followed by a private cremation.

In the weeks after the murders, floral tributes appeared outside the massage parlour in Frankwell where the pair worked.

But in August, flowers which had been placed there after Harding's arrest were stolen and damaged.

Flowers, including a purple bouquet and a bunch of posies, had been left since the arrest last Tuesday.

One tribute said: "Now you can rest in peace, from three members of the public".

At the time Councillor for Frankwell Judith Williams said: "There were two touching tributes left in light of the arrest. But sadly they've now been damaged. I am disappointed that someone saw fit to destroy them."

By Tom Warren