TRIBUTES have been paid to a mother-to-be who died suddenly losing her unborn baby.

Lucy Copland who has been described as someone who ‘everyone warmed to’ collapsed at her home in Malton on Saturday, October 18.

Despite the efforts of ambulance crews and hospital staff they were unable to save Lucy or her baby son.

Lucy, who was 28, lived in Ashfield Avenue with her partner of four years, Jamie Wright.

The baby, the couple’s first, who was christened Seth Nicholas, had been due at the end of November.

Lucy was a popular face at the Skipton Building Society, in Malton, where she had worked for 10 years.

Branch manager Jill Fothergill said everyone who knew Lucy loved her and her wonderful personality.

“She started with us when she was 18 years old and was the youngest customer advisor I have ever taken on but she had a wealth of common-sense and maturity beyond her years,” she said.

“Lucy had a way about her that everyone warmed to, it was why people loved her even those who had not known her for long.”

Jill said it was a small and very close team and even though Lucy had been promoted to senior customer advisor at Scarborough last year, she had still been part of that team.

“We are more than work colleagues, we are a second family to each other and this has devastated us all," said Jill.

“Lucy was such a wonderful girl, she enjoyed running and was very artistic with a really good eye for fashion and had a range of unsuitable shoes for every occasion.”

Jill said Lucy and Jamie had doted on each other and moved into their first house last year.

“They were just made for each other and spent a lot of time renovating their home. Jamie did the outside while Lucy was responsible for the inside, which was bright, vibrant and quirky and reflected Lucy perfectly,” said Jill.

“Jamie is absolutely devastated. He told us that he had been going to propose to Lucy on Christmas Day and already had the ring and was gutted that she would never know. He loved her to bits.”

Jill said the building society had been inundated with cards and flowers since customers had heard the tragic news.

“It has been quite overwhelming the amount of people who have wanted to say how much they thought about Lucy.

“It has been incredibly touching to know how loved she was by everyone and especially us all here. We still expect her to walk through the door.”

The building society is planning to host a fundraising day across all branches in tribute to Lucy, who had taken part in the Race for Life and Macmillan Cancer Support in the past five or more years.

Jill said: "Although Lucy worked at the Malton branch, she was on all sorts of working groups for the building society. Head office wants to organise a 'ribbon' day to raise money for nominated charities. Here at the Malton branch, we will talk to Jill's family when we come to select our charities for next year's fundraising. We would like to chose ones that Lucy supported."

Lucy leaves parents Andrew and Andrea, sister Becci, brother-in-law Darren and nephew and niece Grace and Charlie.