The family of a woman whose body was discovered in a flat in Stroud have paid tribute to her.

Emma Potter, 40, was found dead by officers at her home on Chapel Street on Friday, November 4.

Remembering her life, her family said: "We mourn the death of our daughter, Emma, who joined our family as a beautiful five-month-old baby.

"She enjoyed all kinds of music and loved to sing. Her heroine was Whitney Houston. She longed to be like her.

"All her life, Emma tried to be kind to anyone who befriended her. Life wasn't always easy, but she was trying to find ways to improve herself. We will never know whether she would have succeeded.

"Who would have thought that beautiful, funny, dark-eyed baby would have had such a tragic end?"

Emma's death was initially treated as being unexplained, but the results of a post-mortem examination led to a murder investigation being opened.

Joe Rankin, aged 33 and of Langtoft Road, Stroud, was charged with her murder. He appeared before Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday, November 16.

The Major Crime Investigation Team is still keen to hear from anyone who has any relevant information which could assist, in particular anyone who knew Emma.

Information can be provided to police online by completing the following form and quoting incident 310 of November 4: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/

You can also call police on 101 or provide information anonymously by calling independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online https://crimestoppers-uk.org/