Mother stabbed to death on Christmas Day hailed as a ‘hero’ by daughter for saving her life from the attacker

'Jayne Toal Reat you died saving my life and I just wish I could trade places with you'

Police have charged a 19-year-old man with murder after Ms Reat (L), pictured with her daughter Charlotte, was found dead (Facebook/Jayne Toal Reat)

A woman whose mother died in her arms after she was stabbed to death on Christmas morning, has hailed her as a hero for facing down the killer and saving her life.

“I can still feel her in my arms and hear her screams of pain and see the panic on her face,” Charlotte Reat, wrote on Facebook after Jayne Toal Reat, 43, passed away.

The 21-year-old added that her mum had died saving her after she "was stabbed twice in the head once in my face and once to the back of my neck".

The pair were attacked in their family home in the Northern Irish city of Lisburn, in Co Antrim. A man was also said to have been injured in the assault.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it had charged a 19-year-old man with murder following the tragedy.

Within hours of the attack, Ms Reat expressed her grief on the social media site.

“Today will be a day I will never forget as my mum was murdered in front of my eyes and then later died in my arms," she wrote.

She added: “My mum died saving me, I was stabbed twice in the head once in my face and once to the back of my neck. I am with family and have to identify my beautiful mother’s body tomorrow which is not something I ever expected to be doing.

Ms Toal Reat was killed in her home in the early hours of Christmas morning (Jayne Toal Reat/Facebook)

Charlotte Reat posted a tribute to her mother on Facebook

“Jayne Toal Reat you died saving my life and I just wish I could trade places with you. You’re my hero forever and always and I’ll never forget you and I promise I will get you justice.”

The PSNI said it had charged a 19-year-old man with murder and two counts of attempted murder over her death.

He is expected to appear before Craigavon Magistrates Court tomorrow.