The children of a young mother who is believed to have been dead for 24 hours before her body was found left a poignant floral tribute outside the family home yesterday.

Karen Russon, aged 24, is thought to have hit her head before tumbling from the loft where she was fetching presents she had hidden for her five children.

Her body was found on Friday afternoon when a woman agent from a loans company called at the house in West Bromwich and Karen's six-year-old daughter, Elise, answered the door and said: "You can't speak to mum. She's dead."

Elise had looked after the youngest children Bethany, aged four and Jayden, three, after their mother's death, which happened while Karen's eldest sons Deran, ten, and Daniel, seven, were staying with their grandparents.

Neighbours and friends left flowers outside her home and among the latest tributes was a photograph of Karen with the inscription "Miss you mom, Love you Deran, Daniel, Elise, Bethany and Jayden".

The youngsters are staying with relatives. A West Midlands Police spokesman said there were no suspicious circumstances behind the death and an inquest is to be opened this week.