A young fitness instructor and fundraiser from Cheslyn Hay has died in her sleep. 

Zoe Teale was unaware she was suffering from an undiagnosed heart defect that would ultimately take her life.   

The 23-year-old died in her sleep at home on September 15, and her family have been left devastated. 

The Express & Star reported on her fundraising activities for the British Heart Foundation, including combat workouts and a glow-in-the-dark aerobics class in April and June.

Her father, Peter, aged 48, said his wife, Julie, 47, and daughter Megan, 22, had found Zoe dead. 

He said Zoe was fit, healthy and "the last person in the world you would have thought had a heart defect."

Mr Teale added: "She was laughing and joking with me, she had a mate round, and went to bed at about quarter to midnight. 

"Her sister found her the next day and called the ambulance." 

Zoe died between midnight and 1am, he said. 

"We have good days and bad days.  We have 'reality' days where it hits you out of the blue that you are not going to see her again. 

"I had to sign something for her funeral the other day and I was thinking I should be signing something for her wedding, not her burial." 

Zoe, who attended Great Wyrley High School, was a keen swimmer who competed for Bilston Swimming Club and Birmingham University.  The family are now focused on raising awareness of CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young), which campaigns for young people to be screened for heart defects - which would have saved Zoe. 

Mr Teale added: "We have to make people more aware."