Dad and daughter die in Essex

Friends of a teenager who died shortly after being found with her fatally injured father have said she was "sorting her life out" after having recently been kicked out by her family.

Margaret Pierides, 16, died after being airlifted to hospital from the £750,000 home in Sible Hedingham in Essex.

Her 48-year-old father Costas Pierdes was pronounced dead at the house.

Friends said Margaret had "gone off the rails" during her final year in school and had several falling-outs with her father.

She had returned home "a few months ago" after living in a youth hostel in nearby Braintree and a friend said they had recently "patched things up".

Kika Willings, 18, who went to the village school with Margaret, said: "When she went back home she was so happy. She was proper sorting her life out.

"She seemed to have patched things up. We were best friends. She was so much fun to be around. She was crazy."

Miss Willings' mother, Celestine Adams, 45, described Margaret as a "wild card".

In a tribute addressed to Margaret's mother, Bernadette, Mrs Adams wrote: "Bernadette, please take comfort from the fact that Margaret, the last couple of times we saw her, had a glow, a confidence and was looking gorgeous.

"She loved you and her brothers and sisters.

"Margaret was a lovely girl, a wild card - a little troubled but a lovely girl."

The family, including Margaret's four siblings, had recently enjoyed a holiday together in Greece.

Mrs Adams said everything appeared "perfect" and Margaret loved being back at home with her brothers and sisters.

Margaret did not complete all of her GCSE exams but had started a college course as a beautician days before her death.

On Saturday morning, hours before suffering fatal injuries, she posted a message on social networking site Facebook that said: "What a special girl I am. Well, my dad says so anyway."

The deaths happened a day after the family celebrated the birthday of Margaret's younger sister, Androulla.

Another schoolfriend, Jasmine Grounsell, who had an 18th birthday party on Saturday, said many of Margaret's friends had attended.

"Everyone was telling me to cheer up but it was really sad," she said.

"She was such a laugh - she always seemed up for a laugh. I saw her two or three days ago in the street. She was happy and smiling."

Floral tributes were being left outside the family's seven-bedroom detached bedroom as a single police officer stood on guard.

One tribute said: "This seems so surreal, writing this two days after speaking to you but these past few months have been so tough on you and you've done so well.

"I'm so proud of you, we all are. You will be greatly missed, as a sister, a daughter and a friend. We all love you so much."

(c) Sky News 2010