Deborah Robinson, who was known as ‘Dee’, died suddenly last month

FRIENDS of the smiling “angel of Angel”, who died suddenly last month, are still waiting for a post mortem to be held before they can throw her a final party to say goodbye.

Deborah Robinson, known to everyone as Dee, built up a legion of fans after being the friendly face that sat outside the Sainsbury’s in Liverpool Road for years.

The scale of her popularity amongst the community was revealed following her unexpected death after thousands of pounds were raised in a matter of days after one of her friends organised a GoFundMe page to help “give her the send-off she deserves”.

Explaining why she organised the fundraiser, Hayley Mold said: “I just couldn’t bring myself to do nothing [although] I didn’t really think it would go this far. She didn’t realise how much she was loved and it shows what a beautiful community we’ve got around here.

“Just today I was saying to my sister how someone donated £100 – that just shows you how much respect she had.

“I know she had her problems but it shows you how she took people’s hearts.”

The GoFundMe page has exceeded its target of £2,500 and has currently raised just under £2,700, including donations from strangers moved by the outpouring of love shown for Dee since her death.

Flowers left at the spot outside Sainsbury’s in Liverpool Road where popular Dee became a familiar face to shoppers and those passing

In excess of 300 people have commented on one local Facebook group alone, with more comments found on other platforms.

Ms Mold, who lives in nearby Bromfield Street with her children and saw Dee most days, said she had booked funeral director WG Miller in Essex Road but was unable to proceed with the funeral until pathologists complete their investigation into what caused her sudden passing. In the days leading up to her death Dee told friends that she felt unwell, and had said she planned to visit a doctor, although it is unknown whether she did gain medical attention prior to her death.

Ms Mold said she had recently been in touch with Dee’s sister, and hoped that contact with Dee’s children could also be made.

As part of the funeral plans, the hearse carrying Dee – who would have turned 52 this December – will stop outside Sainsbury’s “one last time” before going on to a cremation service nearby and then there will be a wake, if money allows.

Speaking to the Tribune at the time of her death in mid-September, friends of Dee’s who worked in the Sainsbury’s said they would welcome a plaque there to commemorate her as “that will always be Dee’s spot”.

Talking about the amount of money raised, Ms Mold said: “It’s amazing. It’s beautiful – the whole community have got together. It just shows you how lovely the community are – you do lose faith with the world we live in today, but it shows you there is a community out there and they’re so loving and even strangers have donated. They’ve read everything out there and said it’s amazing what we’re doing for Dee.”