First picture of ‘kindest’ mum who tried to drive herself to hospital after being stabbed

Pictured here is Eleanor Barnfield A retirement village official was brutally stabbed on a visit to the quiet 13-room site - and died as she tried to escape to drive herself to hospital. Mum Eleanor Barnfield, 47, was murdered in the attack where she "sustained puncture wounds" while carrying out her job and dialled 999 before trying to drive herself to hospital. A 61-year-old man was later arrested by armed police and is being quizzed on suspicion of her murder. Neighbours said Eleanor - known as Ella - was told there would be a long wait for an ambulance before she drove alone 300 yards with severe injuries. But she lost control after succumbing to her injuries and despite emergency services attending she was later pronounced dead. Eleanor???s family said ???Mum was the kindest, most loving bravest person in the world. "She meant everything to us and will be forever loved and missed deeply by her devoted family and friends. She was our rock.??? Eleanor was as a housing officer for the Valleys to Coast charity association at the Ger-y-Nant retirement housing complex in Bridgend, South Wales. Armed police later swooped as the suspect was barricaded in his room the complex, according to locals. Chief Superintendent Jason Rees said ???Our thoughts remain firmly with Eleanor???s family. "I want to assure the community that teams of detectives and specialist staff are investigating. "We appreciate the patience and support of residents, especially those displaced following the incident. Local communities may notice an increased police presence as our investigation continues??? "We encourage anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has any relevant information to contact us. "Thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this time and we remind people to please not speculate online about the circumstances.??? The apartment block features 13 social housing flats for people over the age of 60. A spokesman for Valleys to Coast said: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Bridgend on October 19 and can confirm that a member of our team was involved. ???Our thoughts are with our colleague???s family, friends and everyone affected by this. We are working closely with South Wales Police and cooperating fully with their ongoing investigation." Ella - who had one child and one grandchild - was described as "very caring" by friends and "massive dedicated" to her job. Police were called to the "deeply distressing" lunchtime crash on Monday and found the woman had injuries "unrelated to the collision". Paramedics were called to the scene but the woman was later pronounced dead. South Wales Police previously said: "Officers were called to Coity Road, Bridgend at around 12:43pm yesterday following a report of a road traffic collision, wherein a car had collided with a wall. "Upon attendance, officers identified that the driver had sustained injuries unrelated to the collision. "Despite medical attention, the driver, a 47-year-old woman from North Cornelly, has died at hospital. Her family has been informed, though formal identification has yet to take place. "Following a significant policing operation in the area of nearby Ger-y-Nant, a 61-year-old man from Bridgend has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He is currently in police custody." Locals say the woman was alone when she was found in the car only a few hundreds yards away the house being searched by police. Neighbour Sue Thomas, who lives opposite the residential home, paid tribute to the woman who "went to work and did not come home." She said: "The residents are back but people going in have to sign in and out. "You don't expect to go to work and not come home. I feel for her family." Dad Gavin Owen, who lives near the scene, watched as SWAT teams of armed cops swooped outside his house. He said: "There was police, everything was cordoned off. So I got scared and worried, and didn't know what was going on. "When I got home, at the bottom of my street, by the garage, it was cordoned off. "I had to tell them where I lived and they had to escort me to my front door. They said we're gonna have to sign in and out if we want to come in or leave. "We had people coming to interview us, asking us for ring doorcam footage. And gradually it then expanded, we had standard police officers, then we had men in suits, we had the riot team come and then we had a SWAT team. "They had ladders up, cable tyres going on the roof, it was just insane." WALES NEWS SERVICE

This is the first picture of a ‘loving mother’ who crashed her car after being fatally stabbed.

Eleanor Barnfield, 47, ploughed into a wall after collapsing at the wheel when her 999 call got cut off.

Officers were called to Coity Road, Bridgend at around 12.43 pm on Monday October 19 to the road collision.

But officers quickly identified that the woman had sustained puncture wounds ‘unrelated to the collision’.

Ms Barnfield, who worked for Valleys to Coast housing, was rushed to hospital where she later died.

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A 61-year-old man from Bridgend has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in police custody.

In a heartbreaking tribute, Eleanor’s family said: ‘Mum was the kindest, most loving, bravest person in the world.

‘She meant everything to us and will be forever loved and missed deeply by her devoted family and friends. She was our rock.’

Officers were called to Coity Road, Bridgend at around 12:43pm on Monday October 19, following a report of a road traffic collision, wherein a car had collided with a wall. Upon attendance, officers identified that the driver had sustained puncture wounds unrelated to the collision. The woman was conveyed to hospital where despite the best efforts of medical staff she later died. The woman has been formally identified as 47-year-old Eleanor Barnfield from Bridgend who worked for Valleys to Coast. Eleanor?s family continues to be supported by specially trained family liaison officers. Following a significant policing operation around Ger-y-Nant which is a Valleys to Coast property, a 61-year-old man from Bridgend has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in police custody.

She had been making a house visit on a retirement complex when she was attacked.

Neighbours said Eleanor – known as Ella – was told there would be a long wait for an ambulance before she drove alone 300 yards with severe injuries.

Armed police later swooped as the suspect was barricaded in his room the complex, according to locals.

Chief Superintendent Jason Rees said: ‘Our thoughts remain firmly with Eleanor’s family. I want to assure the community that teams of detectives and specialist staff are investigating. We appreciate the patience and support of residents, especially those displaced following the incident. Local communities may notice an increased police presence as our investigation continues.’

Pictured here is Eleanor Barnfield A retirement village official was brutally stabbed on a visit to the quiet 13-room site - and died as she tried to escape to drive herself to hospital. Mum Eleanor Barnfield, 47, was murdered in the attack where she "sustained puncture wounds" while carrying out her job and dialled 999 before trying to drive herself to hospital. A 61-year-old man was later arrested by armed police and is being quizzed on suspicion of her murder. Neighbours said Eleanor - known as Ella - was told there would be a long wait for an ambulance before she drove alone 300 yards with severe injuries. But she lost control after succumbing to her injuries and despite emergency services attending she was later pronounced dead. Eleanor???s family said ???Mum was the kindest, most loving bravest person in the world. "She meant everything to us and will be forever loved and missed deeply by her devoted family and friends. She was our rock.??? Eleanor was as a housing officer for the Valleys to Coast charity association at the Ger-y-Nant retirement housing complex in Bridgend, South Wales. Armed police later swooped as the suspect was barricaded in his room the complex, according to locals. Chief Superintendent Jason Rees said ???Our thoughts remain firmly with Eleanor???s family. "I want to assure the community that teams of detectives and specialist staff are investigating. "We appreciate the patience and support of residents, especially those displaced following the incident. Local communities may notice an increased police presence as our investigation continues??? "We encourage anyone who may have witnessed this incident or has any relevant information to contact us. "Thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this time and we remind people to please not speculate online about the circumstances.??? The apartment block features 13 social housing flats for people over the age of 60. A spokesman for Valleys to Coast said: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Bridgend on October 19 and can confirm that a member of our team was involved. ???Our thoughts are with our colleague???s family, friends and everyone affected by this. We are working closely with South Wales Police and cooperating fully with their ongoing investigation." Ella - who had one child and one grandchild - was described as "very caring" by friends and "massive dedicated" to her job. Police were called to the "deeply distressing" lunchtime crash on Monday and found the woman had injuries "unrelated to the collision". Paramedics were called to the scene but the woman was later pronounced dead. South Wales Police previously said: "Officers were called to Coity Road, Bridgend at around 12:43pm yesterday following a report of a road traffic collision, wherein a car had collided with a wall. "Upon attendance, officers identified that the driver had sustained injuries unrelated to the collision. "Despite medical attention, the driver, a 47-year-old woman from North Cornelly, has died at hospital. Her family has been informed, though formal identification has yet to take place. "Following a significant policing operation in the area of nearby Ger-y-Nant, a 61-year-old man from Bridgend has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He is currently in police custody." Locals say the woman was alone when she was found in the car only a few hundreds yards away the house being searched by police. Neighbour Sue Thomas, who lives opposite the residential home, paid tribute to the woman who "went to work and did not come home." She said: "The residents are back but people going in have to sign in and out. "You don't expect to go to work and not come home. I feel for her family." Dad Gavin Owen, who lives near the scene, watched as SWAT teams of armed cops swooped outside his house. He said: "There was police, everything was cordoned off. So I got scared and worried, and didn't know what was going on. "When I got home, at the bottom of my street, by the garage, it was cordoned off. "I had to tell them where I lived and they had to escort me to my front door. They said we're gonna have to sign in and out if we want to come in or leave. "We had people coming to interview us, asking us for ring doorcam footage. And gradually it then expanded, we had standard police officers, then we had men in suits, we had the riot team come and then we had a SWAT team. "They had ladders up, cable tyres going on the roof, it was just insane." WALES NEWS SERVICE

A spokesperson for Valleys to Coast previously said: ‘We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Bridgend on October 19, and can confirm that a member of our team was involved.

‘Our thoughts are with our colleague’s family, friends and everyone affected by this.’

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Original source First picture of ‘kindest’ mum who tried to drive herself to hospital after being stabbed

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