The best friend of a Suffolk-born mother-of-two killed in Australia on Boxing Day last year has said she has faced one of the hardest times of her life dealing with the loss.
Emma Lovell, 41, was fatally stabbed in her home in Queensland, Australia on Boxing Day.
Her best friend of 33 years, Christina Lofthouse, 42, first met Emma at Farlingaye High School in Woodbridge, with Emma going on to live in Ipswich with her husband Lee.
“This year has been one of the hardest years I've ever faced. It has been the year of firsts. We've faced birthdays anniversaries and now Christmas without her,” said Ms Lofthouse
Ms Lofthouse added that she felt all of Emma's friends had been lucky to know her.
“Emma was a beautiful, kind, amazing person with the biggest heart.
“She would do everything she could for her family and her friends and you were so lucky if she was your friend.”
She said the anniversary of her death will be the hardest of the entire year “because it's the day that will mark the end of our messages that I have from a year ago”.
“Our last messages were on Boxing Day last year. Emma's last message was a big heart emoji and it's quite poignant as she had the biggest heart ever.”
Two teenagers were accused of Mrs Lovell’s murder and were remanded into custody.
The pair, who were 17 at the time, were both charged with one count of murder each, attempted murder and entering a dwelling with intent in company.
Mrs Lovell died after suffering stab wounds to the chest at her home in Whitfield Crescent, North Lakes, Queensland on Boxing Day while her husband Lee, 43, was treated in hospital for a knife wound, Australian police confirmed at the time.
At the time, friends from Suffolk and Australia paid tribute, describing her as someone with "a heart of gold" and with a beautiful smile.
Following her death, her husband Lee said he had been left feeling "totally lost".
"To say we're devastated is an understatement. Emma was my wife, best friend and the best mother to our two children” he added at the time.
The couple had lived together in Ipswich before moving to Australia.
"Ipswich treated us well, but we wanted something more so we moved to Brisbane in 2011."
A Queensland Police spokesman said at the time that a man and woman allegedly disturbed two people inside their home and a "scuffle" broke out on the front porch, before the two intruders fled on foot.
Lee told the East Anglian Daily Times last year that "apparently the top doctor in Queensland attended to perform surgery on site, but she couldn't be saved.”
Martyn McIntee was another of Mrs Lovell’s close friends, having attended Kesgrave High School together.
He said following her death: "Emma was the most amazing person in the world. We were inseparable in high school.
"I will miss her so much.
"I can't even imagine the pain her mum, brothers, Lee and their girls are going through."
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