Grieving family mark the first anniversary of the death of their much-loved daughter

Stephanie Hurrell was only 22 when she tragically passed away of heart failure last February.

The popular young woman from Port Glasgow had battled serious heart problems her whole life but lived it to the full, becoming a charity ambassador, a Commonwealth Games flag-bearer and being elected a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Her loved ones say they have found the last 12 months very difficult to bear as they slowly come to terms with their terrible loss.

Stephanie's mum Angela, 47, said: "It's been hard.

"When I'm busy and at work, it's not so bad.

"But when I'm off work and in the house, it gives me time to think.

"We just miss her so much."

Stephanie Hurrell.

Angela, Stephanie's dad Andrew, 50, and her teenager sister Jacqueline have been supporting one another since the tragedy 12 months ago.

She said: "Just not being able to phone or text her, small things like that can upset me.

"The feeling of loss is always there.

"Christmas was very hard,

"Andy and I both work so we are never in at the same time because we do different shifts and we rarely eat together.

"But we were both off work at Christmas and having that space at the table, knowing Stephanie should be there, was just unbearable."

The couple decided to place her picture at the table so she was still part of their Christmas.

Jacqueline says she has lost her best friend as well as her sister but her late sister's pals Jade and Melissa have rallied round and taken her under their wing.

Angela, of West Woodside Avenue, says the last 12 months have been something of a blur.

She told the Tele: "It doesn't seem like a year at all.

"I still expect her to walk through the door.

"I keep seeing clothes and thinking 'Steph would like that'.

She says her part-time job at Marks & Spencer in Port Glasgow and spending time with Jacqueline keep her going.

Angela said: "I was dreading going back to work as I didn't want to speak to anyone.

"But is has been a Godsend, everyone has been amazing.

"When I came back people I don't even know very well, came up to me and said 'your daughter was beautiful, she was so independent and always smiling'.

"We got so much support and so many lovely messages when she passed away.

"It showed the amount of people she knew."

Stephanie suffered serious heart problems from birth and when she was only nine she had two metal pins inserted to straighten her back.

The former St Stephen's High pupil had surgery to repair a hole in her heart and when she was 16 she had a pacemaker installed and a faulty valve corrected.

But nothing held the bubbly young woman back or got in the way of her accomplishments.

She also loved music, fashion and socialising.

1st Anniversary of the death of Stephanie Hurrell. Mum Angela snd sister Jacqueline..

Angela said: "Stephanie was full of fun and independent.

"She loved going for lunch and Arlecchino was her favourite restaurant in the town.

"Nothing could stop her - if you told Stephanie she couldn't do something she was determined to do it."

Stephanie became unwell without warning just over a week before she died.

She was stricken with chest pains and had to be rushed to Inverclyde Royal.

She was later transferred to the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank and her organs began to shut down.

Medics had told the family that a heart transplant was the only option but sadly the damage done to Stephanie's liver and kidneys was too great.

Angela said: "When I heard the surgeon saying there was nothing else they could do I don't think I really took it in.

"I just thought that it couldn't be that bad.

"She had always pulled through before and had been through worse."

Stephanie passed away peacefully on February 11 last year surrounded by her family.

Her family often visit her final resting place in Port Glasgow Cemetery which is marked with a beautiful headstone.

Angela said: "It had to be a heart, because she was loved by everyone and because of her heart condition.

"It was really hard at times but at the same time it didn't stop her..

"There is also an angel looking over her and she is buried with her nan and grandad so she isn't on her own."

The family recently suffered another loss, the sad passing of Andrew's father John, at the age of 73, and Andrew felt he wasn't able to go the cemetery for a photograph in the circumstances.

Stephanie's graveside is decorated with pink stones and visited regularly by the family.

Angela said: "Jacqueline and me come up on my days off, we try to come up at least once a week.

"We tell Stephanie everything that's going on and we talk to her in the house.

"It gives us comfort."

Stephanie Hurrell

Stephanie famously arranged for X-Factor winner Nicholas McDonald to headline a charity gig in Inverclyde in aid of Yorkhill in 2015 and the singer joined hundreds of mourners who paid their respects at her funeral at St Francis' of Assisi Church in Port Glasgow.

Angela says she will always have immense pride in what her daughter achieved in her all too short but happy life.

She said: "She was part of the Queen's Baton relay for the Commonwealth Games and a flag bearer at the opening ceremony and became a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament.

"She did a lot of with her life - she crammed in a lot.

"We just miss her."

Angela is planing to create a tribute in the family's back garden to keep her daughter close.

She said: "We are going to plant a cherry blossom and put a plaque with Stephanie's name on it."

Stephanie Hurrell