LANCASTER City centre was an emptier place this week, after the sad death of a well known local face.

Jo Jones, known to hundreds of local people who bought the Big Issue from her outside BHS on Market Street, died last week. She had recently moved to a house on the Vale Estate.

Jo's friends and acquaintances set up a tribute to her outside Lancaster library, and a steady stream of flowers and other tributes arrived throughout the week.

Money is being collected in order to fund a memorial service at the Priory on Friday. Any cash left over will be used to fund a permanent memorial.

Almost £500 was collected from passers by in just seven hours and all money collected is being looked after at the Priory.

The memorial has caught the attention of many passers by, young and old, and while many are unfamiliar with the name, all seem to remember the cheerful young woman who always seemed to be smiling. Tributes have been flooding in from people who knew Jo, and those who don't.

Diane Garner, who works with homeless people in Lancaster, said: "Jo had a lot of people who really looked out for her and wanted the best for her.

"Lancaster seems empty without her. She always managed to put a smile on, whatever the circumstances."

One shopper contacted the Citizen with a letter after passing the memorial. Their note read: "I felt sad for this person and realised I'd probably walked past him or her sitting on the step many times -- and this was the first time I'd stopped, thought about and acknowledged them properly. A sad irony. I wish I'd at least said hello now."