Source: BBC News

A man has been charged with murdering a grandmother who was stabbed to death as she supervised a lunchtime children's party at a McDonald's restaurant.

Jackie Marshall, 57, died at the fast food outlet in Terminus Road, Chichester, West Sussex, on Saturday.

Ex-McDonald's employee Shane Freer, 20, of Batchmere, West Sussex, is due at Chichester Magistrates' Court charged with the killing.

Ms Marshall, of Southbourne, W Sussex, had worked at McDonald's for 15 years.

Sussex Police said she had been married for more than 35 years, with a close-knit family of children and grandchildren.

"She was very well-known in the local area. She did a lot of charity work in the Southbourne area," a spokesman said.

Flowers were left outside the taped-off restaurant's entrance

Social services are offering counselling to customers who were in the restaurant at the time.

West Sussex County Council said people who wanted counselling should call 01903 694422 before 0900 BST on Monday or 01243 752999 after that time.

The restaurant remained closed on Sunday, taped off with police officers standing outside.

A McDonald's spokesman said the company was "shocked and horrified" by Ms Marshall's death.

Added: 2004