Pals pay tribute to Taggart star's daughter

Friends of Louella Michie have described her as a ‘beam of energy’ and ‘spectacular’ days after her death at Bestival.

The daughter of Taggart and Holby City star John Michie apparently took an “illegal substance” while at the music festival, according to her family.

Devastated pals have been speaking about the impact of her death.

Lucy Bayet, a fellow model who recently spent a week with the 25-year-old on a retreat in Ibiza, said: “Obviously it was a massive shock to hear about Louella. It really ripped the group apart.

“She was so bright and so magnificent that even in the face of passing away, she’s still touching and moving lives without even being here.”

In a statement to a national paper, Louella’s family reasserted that they did not believe there to have been “any malice” involved in her death.

The body of Louella Eve Fletcher-Michie was discovered in a wooded area on the edge of the festival site at Lulworth Castle in Dorset on Monday.

Lucy added: “After the initial shock and tears we were just focused on celebrating her life and remembering the good times.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met a cooler person. The fashion, the style, the music, the sass, everything about her was spectacular and that’s why she’ll be remembered so fondly.

“On hearing the news it was devastating. I think she’d want to be remembered by all of us trying to just get on with it, by choosing the good times over the bad. Choosing to be kind, friendly, understanding – she was just such a beam of energy and light.”

Police confirmed that a man arrested on suspicion of murdering the 25-year-old and supplying a Class A drug has been released under investigation.

A Dorset Police spokesman said: “An initial post-mortem examination took place on September 11, which showed no clear signs of an assault.

“However, further examinations will need to take place over the coming weeks, including toxicology, in order to establish if there are any substances in her system or other suspicious circumstances.

“A 28-year-old man, who was known to Louella, was arrested on suspicion of murder and supply of a controlled class A drug. He has now been released under investigation.”

A police spokeswoman declined to comment on which Class A drug the 28-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of supplying.

On Monday, the organisers of Bestival said they were “devastated” by the death and were supporting police with the investigation