THE heart-broken family of a barmaid stabbed to death on New Year's Day today spoke of their anguish and said: "Her only crime was being too nice."

Charlotte Flanagan's grief-stricken family revealed that the man charged with their daughter's murder was the tenant who was living in her house in Walmsley Street, Darwen, while she spent a year in London.

Charlotte, 22, a former pupil at St Wilfrid's High School, Blackburn, was found in her flat -- on the fourth floor above the Barley Mow pub in London's West End where she had worked for three months -- in the early hours of New Year's Day.

An inquest held on January 3 revealed she had died from a stab wound to the neck.

Gareth Richard Horton, 29, of Walmsley Street, Darwen, was arrested hours after the incident and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Thursday.

Today, Charlotte's family, of Melville Gardens, Darwen, relived the moment the police told them their daughter was dead and the anguish they had been through since. Her mum Dorothy, who works at Darwen Health Centre, said: "She was such a caring girl, she had a heart of gold. She had agreed to rent the house to the man charged with her murder while she was in London.

"She just wanted to try something different. She had lived in Darwen all her life and saw the job at the pub advertised and decided to apply for it.

"She was going to go on a nursing training course next year. She loved caring for people."

Charlotte had worked with adults suffering from learning difficulties at Blackburn with Darwen Council's social services department before moving to London.

Her family said it was while she was at the council that she met Horton, who, the family said, is employed in the social services department.

Charlotte had also spent time after leaving school working as a peer educator with Lancashire County Council's youth and community service in Clitheroe.

"That meant she worked with youngsters to make sure they did not get involved in drugs or anything like that," said Mrs Flanagan. "She loved caring for people.

"She did not have a bad bone in her body. Her only crime was caring too much. Rather than be rude to someone, she would have a kind word for them."

Charlotte had spoken to her mother, father Kevin, sister Kate and grandmother Doreen Marland, of Hoddlesden, at 4pm on New Year's Eve.

Mrs Marland said: "It was lovely to hear from her. She was having such a good time. I know all grandparents say this, but she was a beautiful girl and very popular.

"It is devastating."

The family say they have been told Charlotte worked behind the bar through midnight celebrations on New Year's Eve before going for a break. "She would spend her breaks in her room," said Mrs Flanagan.

"When she didn't come down, the pub staff thought she must have been asleep and because it was quieter they didn't wake her up.

"They only knew something was wrong when the police arrived."

Charlotte had one brother, Luke, 19.

When she spoke to her sister Kate, she confirmed arrangements for travelling up to Nottingham, where the 24-year-old is at university, the next day.

Kate said: "She was going to spend a few days with me. We had it all planned, when she was going to arrive and everything.

"I can't still can't understand it. It was just so brutal."

Mr Flanagan added: "We all spoke to her and she was so happy. A policeman came to the door in the morning and told us what had happened.

"We have been in contact with the Metropolitan Police ever since. They have been very good."

Mr Flanagan said: "We have also spoken to the Met in London and their Serious Crime Squad who have taken us down there and brought us back. They have been excellent with us.

"The phone has not stopped ringing since people heard what had happened. She had so many friends around here, she was a really popular girl.

"So many people are upset, not just because she is dead but by the way it happened as well. In one way, it is a comfort to us, but it also shows how much we have lost." The family has yet to receive confirmation of when the funeral can take place. They say they have been warned it could be up to seven weeks.

"We are in the hands on the coroner," said Mrs Flanagan. "But the police have told us the coroner is very good and will make sure it happens sooner, hopefully within two weeks.

"People keep asking when it will take place. There will be so many people there. So many people are devastated."

Ken Foote, Blackburn with Darwen Council's director of social services, said: "The Council and in particular colleagues who worked with Charlotte have been deeply shocked to learn of her death and our thoughts are with her family at this sad time.

"We can not comment further on the circumstances of her death as this is subject to a police investigation and we would not wish to prejudice the outcome of their enquiries.

Needless to say, our staff have been co-operating fully with the police."