'Happy, healthy' dancer found dead in Melbourne strip club after 12 hours
Friends of a young woman who lay dead inside a Melbourne strip club for 12 hours say she was “happy, healthy and upbeat about life”.
Exotic dancer Stacey Tierney, 29, was found dead, slumped inside Dreams Gentlemen's Club in Melbourne on December 19.
Stacey Tierney was found dead inside Dreams Gentlemen's Club on December 19. Photo: Facebook.
Friends described Ms Tierney as a "happy and healthy" woman who was "upbeat about life". Photo: Facebook.
Friends who danced with Ms Tierney told Daily Mail they feared she had met foul play, following news of her death.
“As soon as I heard she had died I asked if she had been killed... [I] knew in my heart that something was not right,” Briar Rose told the publication.
Ms Tierney moved to Australia three years ago and worked in Brisbane and Melbourne teaching Zumba and spin classes.
The 29-year-old from Manchester, is believed to have worked in the club and was understood to have been partying with several men inside the Elizabeth St venue before her death, the Herald Sun reports.
It's claimed the men who were with Ms Tierney on the night she died fled the club. Her body was found the following day.
There is no suggestion the management of the club is implicated in Ms Tierney's death.
Her death was not reported to police or paramedics until Monday, Daily Mail reports.
Ms Rose said her friend’s behaviour was out of character prior to her death.
“She was healthy, didn't touch drugs and was so upbeat about life she wouldn't take her own life,” Ms Rose said.
In an interview with the Manchester Evening News her cousin Colleen said Ms Tierney was "such a free spirit".
“We obviously knew how great she was. We were so proud of her and spoke to her all the time," she said. “She was so fit and loved dancing. She came back for Christmas last year.”
Local police have confirmed they are investigating Ms Tierney's death.
A GoFundMe page has been launched to raise money to bring Ms Tierney's body back to Britain. It has exceeded the £10,000 target in only two days.
"As some of you may know we sadly lost our beautiful Stacey on Monday. Stacey was living her life to the full in Australia and she has made a huge impact on everyone who knew her," the post on the GoFundMe page reads. "At the moment her family are still in shock and are trying to get there heads around what has happened. This page is being set up in honour of Stacey."
"The aim is to raise funds to bring her home to give her a send of fit for a princess. On behalf of her mum Michelle and her sisters Stephanie, Kristie, and Kelly-Anne and the rest of her family we would like to thank everyone for their kind messages of condolence."
