Mum, 32, who tragically died in her sleep was found by her daughter next morning

“Everything was normal” when Laura Whittingham and her husband Carl went to bed at their home in Weston Coyney on October 4.

The pair was scrolling through TikTok and laughing about different things before they called it a day.

But the following morning, Laura, an NHS worker at the Royal Stoke University Hospital never woke up.

Carl, who got up early and didn’t want to disturb his wife, had left for work but he was unexpectedly called back home.

When he returned, he found his three-year-old daughter, Ava, coming down the stairs after she failed to wake up her mum.

Laura, who was only 32, has also left behind 20-month-old Mia, step-daughter Gracie-Mae, 13, her older sister Sam and parents Karen, 57, and Paul Davies, 59.

An inquest has been opened to determine the cause of the nurse’s death who was described as a “Disney Queen” with the “most caring heart”.

Carl, who also works at the Royal Stoke as a ward assistant, told Stoke on Trent Live: “We both went to bed early that night… Everything was normal.

“I went out for work at 6am. I never went to check on her before I left. I didn’t give her a kiss as it was so early, she normally moans about me if I do that.

“My dad called. He was worried that Laura wasn’t up to take the children to school.

“I called the police. When I got home the police had already broken into the house and as I got in, they told me she’d passed away.

“I saw my three-year-old coming down the stairs after she tried to wake her up.”

Laura, who initially worked as a carer looking after adults with special needs, joined the ward as an assistant in 2012 where she met Carl.

He said: “One day we switched each other's phone numbers and it went from there. I’d had other relationships but there was nobody like her.

“It was always her smile. She had a really good smile and the most caring heart. She would always listen to you.”

The mum then qualified as a nurse in 2016, the same year she married Carl at Milton Church.

For their anniversary next year, the pair was planning to take their three children to Disneyland Paris as Laura was an avid Disney fan.

Carl said: “She loved reading all the Disney collections, she had all the books, the DVDs, she would always watch Disney.

“She was a major organiser; all the holiday stuff was in a folder. We’ll still be going on the holiday and taking the girls. Laura would not be happy if we didn’t go.”

The mum’s funeral will be held at St Philip and St James Church in Milton next month. Disney Princesses will be in attendance.

A family friend has set up a GoFundMe page in honour of Laura to support the family during this difficult time. You can donate by clicking here.