Sister's goodbye to Fatboy gig victim

Parents of the woman who died after a 20ft fall at a Fatboy Slim concert revealed that a telephone was pressed to their daughter's ear as she died to allow her sister to whisper her final farewells.

Ken and Jan Manders flew from their home in Queensland after hearing that their 25-year-old daughter, Karen, was in a critical condition with head and spine injuries after falling from Brighton promenade two weeks ago.

After arriving at Heathrow Mr and Mrs Manders were taken to Sussex County Hospital knowing their daughter had moments to live. As they stood by her bed, hospital staff pressed a telephone to their daughter's ear so her 31-year-old sister, Nicole, could say goodbye from Australia.

Mrs Manders said of Karen, who had been an accident and emergency nurse at Homerton University Hospital in Hackney: "We have got some wonderful memories to cherish. She was a lovely, caring person and had a wonderful smile that could light up a room. To know her was to love her."

Mr Manders said he did not blame anyone for his daughter's death followingthe beach party which attracted 250,000 people and saw more than 100 injured and a man in his forties die of a heart attack.

But he did express concern about the safety of the railings where she fell. Mr Manders, a 56-year-old maintenance engineer, said: "Karen was a great girl who really enjoyed life. She was on the beach dancing, enjoying the show and the fireworks. She turned round to her mate and said, 'I'm so happy I could burst.'"

The funeral will take place in Brighton and her ashes scattered in Australia. Homerton University Hospital is planning a memorial service later this month.