Football stars and actors pay tribute to glamour model, 19, stabbed to death after row at her home

Footballers and actors paid tribute today to a teenage model who was stabbed to death following a row at her home.



Privately-educated Amy Leigh Barnes, 19, was taken to hospital with knife wounds but could not be saved.



Oldham Athletic player Paul Black and West Bromwich striker Ishmael Miller are among those who have posted messages on Miss Barnes' Facebook page.

Black wrote simply 'r.i.p. x', while Miller posted the message: "R.I.P. Amy Leigh."

A post from former Hollyoaks actress Hannah Tointon read: "R.I.P. x".



A man of 21 was arrested 100 miles from the scene of the killing and was last night being questioned on suspicion of murder.



Victim: Amy Leigh Barnes, pictured with Blackburn Rovers player Benni McCarthy, was stabbed to death at her home in Manchester



Artist's daughter Miss Barnes was educated at £1,555-a-term Lords Independent School in Bolton and went on to study performing arts at Pendleton College, Salford.



She also taught drama at The Phoenix, a charity providing workshops for young people, but was concentrating on her modelling career at the time of her death.



The 19-year-old, who is listed on the books of the Manchester-based modelling agency Nemesis Casting, reached the finals of the Miss British Isles contest last year.

On the Purestorm online modelling and photography forum, Ms Barnes is described as a semi-professional model who has done 'lots of promotions for celebrity clubs in Manchester, work for Hollyoaks, dancing, acting, modelling, promotions.'



Miss Barnes was a regular at nightclubs popular with millionaire football stars and had dated Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy. Police were called to her home in Farnworth, Bolton, on Saturday morning. An ambulance was summoned but doctors were unable to save her.



'Life and soul of the party': Amy Leigh's modelling career was taking off



Her mother, Karyn, 40, an established artist who also teaches art at a sixth form college, and stepfather John Killiner, 36, were last night being comforted by family members at their home nearby.



In a statement yesterday, her family said: 'We are absolutely distraught.



'Words cannot express the pain we are in. We loved our baby so much, she was our reason for living. She was the most beautiful princess.'



'We will not rest until justice has been done for our gorgeous daughter.'

Friends also spoke of their shock. One said: 'Amy Leigh was the life and soul of the party and she will be deeply missed.



'She was very popular and loved going out night after night. She knew loads of footballers and went on dates with them.



Moss Street in Farnworth, near Bolton, where police and forensic scientists are investigating Barnes's murder

'Although she knew lots of people, she never let it go to her head. It's tragedy her life has been so cruelly cut short.'



A tribute page on Facebook drew scores more comments yesterday. A friend posted: 'She was a bubbly gorgeous girl with her whole life ahead of her. She loved to sing and dance and made a room light up with her smile.'

On the Facebook tribute page, a post from former Hollyoaks actress Hannah Tointon read: "R.I.P. x".

Footballers also left comments on the social networking site. Oldham Athletic player Paul Black wrote "r.i.p. x", while West Bromwich Albion striker Ishmael Miller posted the message: "R.I.P. Amy Leigh."



Only last year Amy Leigh had spoken about her excitement at getting to the finals of UK Model of the Year competition.



Glamour Girl: Amy Leigh had several high profile assignments including work for Playboy, Cosmopolitan and Hollyoaks



'I have always modelled but I have never really entered any competitions before, and I didn't really think this would come to anything,' she told her local newspaper. 'It was just something I thought I would have a go at, and I am really pleased I have got through to the finals.



'I want to stick with modelling. I've been getting more and more work and my parents are behind me all the way.'

She had also worked on assignments for Playboy, Cosmopolitan and the TV series Hollyoaks.



The teenager was regularly seen partying, along with a group of close friends, with footballers at nightclubs in Bolton, Manchester and Blackburn.



'Beautiful princess': Young Amy Leigh smiles for the camera



Friends said she had dated Blackburn Rovers' £2.5million South African striker McCarthy, 30, and the pair had been photographed together on a night out.

Other footballer friends on her Facebook page include Fraizer Campbell, currently on loan to Tottenham Hotspur from Manchester United, Phil Jagielka, of Everton, and Leroy Lita, of Norwich City.



Amy Leigh had only recently moved to the house in Farnworth where she was killed. A neighbour said: 'She was obviously very, very pretty but we did not appreciate she was a magazine model.'