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A former beauty queen suddenly collapsed and died at Manor House Stables in Cheshire.
Jessica Whalley - who was said to have represented the United Kingdom in the 2019 Miss Tourism Universe pageant - passed away days before her 26th birthday on Tuesday (28 March) after paramedics were unable to revive her.
Her friend Allison Samuel told The Sun: "I just couldn’t believe it- we loved her dearly.
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"She was such a lovely girl who really enjoyed her job. She was popular - everyone liked her and she was a lovely young woman. This is so unexpected, she was so fit and healthy.
"And beautiful too - she could have been a model. It’s such a tragedy - it would have been her 26th birthday this Saturday."
"We have been told that it was a very sudden," the friend said, "so it has come as a terrible shock."
Allison, who lives in Newmarket, said Jessica was 'determined to make a career out of racing' and would have been a 'success' in doing so.
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"After her parents split up she got close to her mum and when the trainer Hugo Palmer went up north, she went too," she added.
"She was popular and determined to make a career out of racing - she wanted to be head girl at a yard - and she would have been a success."
Manor House Stables - owned by Michael Owen - paid tribute to Jessica, writing in a statement: "It is with deep sadness that we have to announce that a much-valued member of our team died at work this morning.
"The family have been informed and both the family and the team at Manor House request privacy at this time."
In a statement on Tuesday, Cheshire Police said: "At around 8.50am today, police were made aware that a 25-year-old woman had collapsed at a stables on Old Coach Road, Malpas.
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"Emergency services attended the location and, despite the best efforts of all those involved, the woman sadly died at the scene.
"The death is not being treated as suspicious and her next of kin have been informed. A file will be prepared for the coroner."
One of her friends, Zander Voy, also said: "It’s heartbreaking to hear Jess lost her life today at the tender age of 25.
"She was riding out doing what she loved.
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"We had so many great times working in Dubai.
"May she rest in peace."
Tyla has contacted Cheshire Police and Manor House Stables for additional comment.
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