SHAFILEA Ahmed was a clever girl whose goal in life was to study law at university and become a solicitor.

Her father, friends and teachers all commented on her mental abilities during the inquest into her death.

Iftikhar Ahmed, her father, said she was a "bright child".

Gill Power, Shafilea's form tutor at Great Sankey High School in Warrington, said: "She was lovely, a really, really lovely girl.

"She was an angel. All the way through she was just such a sweet girl. She'd do anything to help people. She did lots for charity.

"By Year 11 she was a really bright girl, doing well. Whatever she did she gave 100%."

Joanne Code, the school's assistant headteacher, said: "Her aim in life was to become a solicitor, or lawyer as she called it, and she wanted to go off to study law at university."

She said Shafilea had "a lovely sense of humour" and, despite being reticent at speaking out, was "very determined".

"She was almost the perfect scholar," she said.

Shafilea was fiercely loyal to her family.

Ms Code recalled being surprised to learn that timid Shafilea had given "a mouthful" to a teacher who told off her younger brother for using a rude word.

"She really stuck up for her brother," she said.

Ms Code described Shafilea as a typical teenager who enjoyed making the most of her appearance.

She was a slight, petite girl and wore high heels, false nails, make-up and the latest fashions - but never skirts.

Fellow pupil Melissa Powner said of her school friend: "She was very friendly, she was always laughing. She was very clever - her GCSEs were As and Bs."

Click here to listen to Shobna Gulati reading Shafilea's poems.

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