Every night, Mandy Jones sleeps with her young daughter Faye's nightie under her pillow.
Mandy needs to feel close to her; she simply cannot let go.
Every day since her daughter's tragic death in a jet-ski crash two years ago, Mandy has worn one item of clothing or jewellery that was Faye's. They were a similar size so she wears her daughter's jumper, socks, shoes, jacket or a necklace. One of her own favourites is a locket that has pretty Faye's photograph and pictures of her two other teenage daughters, Gemma and Harriet.
Mandy quietly visits Faye's grave each day, just to say "hello" and gather her thoughts. A two-week-long court case against three men following her death ended yesterday; during these anxious last few days, Mandy's daily rituals became even more precious to her.
Faye Grundy, of Crown Lane, Benson, was riding pillion on the back of a jet-ski driven by her uncle, Tony Gee, when it veered into the path of a powerboat.
The schoolgirl was thrown into the water, went under the powerboat, and was struck by the spinning propeller. Mandy, her two daughters and Faye's stepfather Anthony Jones, saw the accident at Queenford Lake Watersports Centre, Berinsfield.
It happened a week after Faye's 17th birthday. To this day, her room at home remains just as she left it before setting off for the lake. Nothing has been touched. Little pieces of birthday wrapping paper, ripped up in delight by Faye a few days before, remain on the floor next to some of her belongings.
Faye, a successful and popular pupil at Wallingford School, had been due to begin a course in beauty therapy at the Oxford College of Further Education. Mandy said: "I did not leave the house for three months after her death, I was so wrapped up in grieving. Our main concern was that we did not want my brother charged with manslaughter.
"When we started out we just wanted it over with because it was another big hurdle to get over as a family. But as the case has gone on we have been getting more angry.
"I am pleased with the outcome but however large the company's fines are, they will be nothing compared to the loss that we have had to bear.
"In ten years' time, the family which runs the company will be over their financial loss but Faye won't be with us. Her future has been taken away. "I believe the Ely brothers could have pleaded guilty and accepted their fines but because they contested the case all the way, our family had to go through the agony all over again.
"Faye's uncle did overshoot the mark and cross the line of buoys and he is devastated. He will never recover from what happened.
"If the two areas of water had been properly separated then Faye would still be with us today.
"If new legislation could be brought in to ensure the safe use of jet-skis I would welcome it."
Mandy added: "I go to the churchyard every day. I feel that I am doing something for her, it is so pretty down there. I just feel the need to do something for her to keep the grave as lovely as she was." Faye's stepfather, Anthony, a roofing specialist, said: "We were in such a state and every time we heard something it just upset us more and more. From what I have seen, Mandy took it really badly."
Faye's natural father, Steven Grundy, is divorced from Mandy and lives in Chalgrove. He has not been to the court.
Faye was one of group of teenagers who used to spend hours together, talking and joking, outside Benson village hall.
Since her death, the group has never met there again. Beat policeman Pc Cameron Scott illustrated it as one small example of the profound effect Faye's death has had on this tight-knit community.
"They were always very approachable and very friendly. Faye especially came across as very pleasant, and very co-operative. She was a very lovely girl."
Meanwhile, Thames Valley Police said officers did consider the precedent set by the Lyme Bay tragedy in 1993, when four teenagers were killed on a canoeing trip on the south coast.
After that tragedy, police secured the first conviction for corporate manslaughter. However, there was not thought to be sufficient evidence for a criminal prosecution following Faye Grundy's death.
Det Supt Roy Thornley, now retired, treated the Lyme Bay case as a murder inquiry. This led to Peter Kite, managing director of OLL Ltd, being convicted of corporate manslaughter in 1994.
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "Officers investigating the death of Faye Grundy considered the precedent of the Lyme Bay case. "However, each case has to be treated individually. A file was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service but it was decided there was insufficient evidence to pursue a criminal prosecution.
"The statements taken by Thames Valley Police were used in the subsequent health and safety investigation and civil prosecution."
Story date: Tuesday 30 November
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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