THE family of murdered student Grace Millane have been helping patients, nurses, doctors and carers across the region as they battle coronavirus.

Grace, 22, whose family have many Thurrock connections, was killed in New Zealand in December 2018 by a 28 year old man. He strangled Ms Millane in a hotel in Auckland, hid her body in a suitcase and buried it in bushland.

The killer, who cannot be named due to a quirk of New Zealand law, was jailed for at least 17 years for the murder in February. He has appealed against his conviction.

Back in the UK her family are trying to put the horror behind them and in honour of Grace have set up a set up a campaign called Love Grace x, focused on domestic abuse victims.

It had already donated 6,500 handbags packed with toiletries to refuges across the world, including many in New Zealand. But the coronavirus has focused minds closer to home and Grace's family has donated more than 300 bags full of toiletries to hospitals and care homes across Essex.

Her cousin said it was nice to be doing "something so positive" in her name.

Hannah O'Callaghan said: "We've had so many messages thanking us, it's been lovely to read them as a family. It is helping us get through some difficult times and given us a purpose."

Seven family members have been involved, including Gillian Millane, Grace's mother.

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Mrs O'Callaghan said: "Grace would have been really proud of us. She would have wanted to get involved. She was more like a little sister to me than a cousin. She was very family-orientated and we had so many happy times together as a family.

The bags are delivered with a tag which says "Love Grace x" in Grace's handwriting and a flower that she drew, on one side.

The other side has a note explaining what happened to her and more about the initiative.