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Tributes to woman who died in alleged home attack

Danny Fullbrook & Harriet Heywood
BBC News, Bedfordshire
Aimi Rix Aimi Rix with Dianne Cleary smile at the camera with their heads touching together. Ms Rix is wearing a necklace and black strappy top, she has white blonde hair, with sunglasses on her head, and is wearing red lipstick. Ms Clearly has blue eyes and light brown hair, cut with a fringe. Both women are wearing brown dangling earrings. Aimi Rix
Aimi Rix (left) said her friend Dianne (right) "adored her children and grandchildren, her family meant everything to her"

A woman who died after an alleged attack has been described as a "warrior" whose "courage knew no bounds" by a friend.

Dianne Cleary, 46, died following what Bedfordshire Police described as "an altercation" in a house on Turners Road North, Luton, on Monday.

Aimi Rix said there were not enough words to describe the "incredible loss" of her "beautiful friend Dianne".

The family of Ms Cleary said they planned to light lanterns in her memory in the town's Lea Manor Field on Saturday.

Supplied Dianne Cleary is smiling and stood in front of some wall-mounted gold wings to make it look as if they are coming from her backSupplied
Dianne Cleary, 46, died at a house in Luton on Monday

'Glowing smile'

The force was called to the incident at 11:45 GMT and said a woman had been fatally injured and another woman, in her 20s, was hurt.

A man, 25, was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder on Wednesday.

In a tribute to her friend, Ms Rix told the BBC Ms Cleary was "the best friend anyone could ask for, she was kind and loving, loyal to fault".

Kimberley Piper/BBC Police vans, a car and a forensics tent are parked on the access road in front of a house. Garages line the road and one is open with its contents covering the road.Kimberley Piper/BBC
Police said there was "an altercation" in the house on Turners Road North, Luton

She said: "Dianne could change the vibe in a room with her glowing smile and infectious laugh, Dianne had a resilience like nobody I've known, finding the positives in the worst of situations.

"Dianne didn't know how beautiful she really was, which only added to her charm… she had the twinkling blue eyes, cheekbones and the dimples, a feature she passed down to her beautiful children.

"But more than this when she smiled she captivated the room, she was so much fun to be around, could start a party in broom cupboard, this fun loving bubbly girl, who became my best friend, a strong woman, a fierce protector and warrior, her courage knew no bounds."

Bedfordshire Police said specialist officers were supporting Ms Cleary's family.

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