'Gentle' victim of shop stabbing

Mrs Thomas was pronounced dead at hospital on Wednesday

A widow stabbed to death while shopping in a Poundstretcher store in Cardiff city centre has been named.

Valerie Thomas, 75, from Ninian Road, Roath, Cardiff, died of a single wound after being stabbed in the back by another customer on Wednesday.

Neighbours said the gentle, friendly, smartly dressed woman, who loved dogs, lived alone since her husband George died some years ago.

Her death is being treated as murder and a 44-year-old woman is in custody.

People in Ninian Road, a tree-lined street overlooking Roath Park, spoke of their shock after hearing of the murder, in the store in busy Church Street at lunchtime on Wednesday.

I saw her catching a bus the day before yesterday and today I found out she was dead Emmanuel Fernandes, neighbour

Frances Williams, 83, who lives nearby, said she was "absolutely appalled" at the death of a friend who was "always very, very smart and well-groomed".

"She was a very vivacious person. She and her husband lived a very social life. When her husband died she was still the same, going into town, seeing her friends."

Mrs Thomas had been a familiar sight locally walking her dog in the park until the animal's death a couple of years ago. Neighbours said she had been due to move into sheltered accommodation.

Police were still at the murder scene on Thursday

Emmanuel Fernandes, 74, described her as a "lovely lady".

"She was a very good neighbour," said Mr Fernandes. "I saw her catching a bus the day before yesterday and today I found out she was dead."

Sarah Toby, who had lived in the flat above Mrs Thomas, said she was a "very quiet and gentle person", who loved children and animals.

I sat her down on a chair and she was gripping me tightly. I told her the ambulance was on its way. Market attendant Maria Davies

The events leading up to her death are still unclear but as the pensioner queued to pay for goods at Poundstretcher, there was some sort of altercation during which she was stabbed in the back.

Maria Davies, an attendant at Cardiff indoor market, was one of the first people at the scene and helped Mrs Thomas.

She told the BBC Wales news website: "I was passing the side entrance of the market and I heard a lot of raised voices in Poundstretcher.

"I went into the shop. I saw these two old ladies coming towards me.

"One said, 'can you help me, someone has just been stabbed in the back'. I looked at the other lady and I saw the knife in her back.

'Crying and shaking'

"I sat her down on a chair and she was gripping me tightly. I told her the ambulance was on its way.

"I tried to calm her down. She was crying and shaking. She was still fully conscious because she was talking to me."

A police officer outside the Cardiff home of Valerie Thomas

Cardiff Market supervisor Ivor Gates heard about the stabbing via the radio security system linking city shops.

When Mr Gates and a colleague arrived at Poundstretcher, the victim was conscious and sitting in a chair being cared for Ms Davies.

"She was cuddling her and the old lady was really gripping her tight and Maria was saying everything is ok, don't panic," said Mr Gates.

Ms Davies stayed with Mrs Thomas until the emergency services arrived and she was taken away by paramedics.

Det Supt Paul Kemp said: "We are treating this as murder, and are appealing for anyone with any information to contact our incident room which has been set up at Fairwater police station, on 029 20 571 530."

Police are particularly keen to speak to anyone who was in or near the Poundstretcher between 1200 - 1230 BST on Wednesday.

A mobile police unit has been set up outside St John's church, close to the scene, to give witnesses the opportunity to speak to officers.

Staff at the store who witnessed the attack have been offered counselling.

Police also confirmed no staff were involved in the incident.