The sister of a pregnant woman who died after a stabbing in Walthamstow has paid tribute to her “pure heart”.

Alana Odysseos, 32, died after being found injured at a home in Lynmouth Road at 3am yesterday morning (July 22).

Shaine March, of Rainsborough Avenue in Lewisham, has been charged with her murder.

The 45-year-old appeared at Barkingside Magistrates' Court earlier today (July 23). 

Alana’s sister, 26-year-old Jasmine Yates, said that she was a “brilliant mother” who had just found out she was four weeks pregnant with her third child.

Jasmine, a stay-at-home mother from Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, said: “We’re all truly devastated and struggling so much to come to terms with this."

She said that her older sister had two daughters aged 12 and two and was “such a happy and bubbly person”.

The 26-year-old added: “She completely doted on her children and she was so excited to become a mother again because she just found out she was four weeks pregnant.”

Jasmine, a mum of four, said she was “trying to be the strong one” after she learned of her sister’s death at around 9.30am on Monday morning from her sister’s friend, who “witnessed what happened”.

She added: “I’m feeling broken at the same time because that was my sister and we were so close.

“I didn’t want to believe it, and I feel like I’m just in a living nightmare.”

She said Alana was “just the best sister anybody could ask for”.

The 26-year-old has now set up a GoFundMe to raise funds for her sister’s funeral expenses.

Jasmine Yates (left) with her sister Alana Odysseos (right)Jasmine Yates (left) with her sister Alana Odysseos (right) (Image: Family handout/PA Wire)

She said: “We grew up in Newmarket and that is where all of our family are buried and is where Alana has always said that she wanted to be buried because she wants to be with our nan, my nanny Patricia, who she was very close to growing up.

“So that’s why I’ve started the GoFundMe, because it’s going to cost us a lot to get her from Walthamstow and be buried in Newmarket.”

Jasmine is also fundraising to set up a trust fund for her sister’s children.

She said: “She would want them to have a decent start in life and she would be doing the same for me and I just want to make her proud and give her the best send-off that we can.”

Some reporting by PA.