Floral tributes to the victims continue to be laid at the place where the man accused of murdering three women lived.

Fresh flowers lined the wall of the building in Thornton Road after police confirmed they had evidence of Shelley Armitage’s remains on Wednesday.

One woman stopped yesterday afternoon to leave a bunch of orange roses.

She said she had not known the women but she felt moved to show her sympathy because “it could have been anyone”.

Sharon Osoba, 31, also paused at the impromptu memorial to pay her respects.

She paid tribute to her former classmate Shelley after police confirmed they had recovered human tissue belonging to her from the River Aire over the weekend.

The pair knew each other as teenagers at the former St Joseph’s Upper School where they took classes together.

She said: “We hung around together at school but we didn’t stay in touch when we left.

“She was a lively girl, very popular and really pretty. She was always well dressed and had make-up on. I just feel for her family.”

John Holdsworth, 34, said he knew all three women to say hello to.

He said: “It’s devastating. I knew Shelley most from going to get my prescription from up here. I knew she worked round here.

“She was never badly dressed or looked bad. Whatever happened, they didn’t deserve this.”

A touching message attached to one of the bouquets outside Holmfield Court read “the world will be a much darker place now three bright lights have been extinguished”.

Another read “the heart is strong, the love we have for all the girls will never die”.

A former friend of Shelley and her family told of the “beautiful young woman” she had grown up to be before falling into the grip of drugs.

Shelley’s stunning looks led to her hopes of being a model at one stage.

The friend said: “I knew her when she was a girl and growing up to be a young adult. She was a lovely looking young woman with a personality to match. She could have done anything with her life but it wasn’t to be.

“What has happened is so sad and tragic, and hard to believe. You cannot imagine what her family must be going through at this time.”

Shelley had lived for some time when she was young at the Alexander pub in Idle, which her family had formerly run.

Residents at the block of flats where accused Stephen Griffiths lived have meanwhile told of an exodus of tenants.

One couple, Brian Hall and Diane Newman, said at least two residents had left the building for good already, while Griffiths’ next-door neighbour was in the process of moving out.