Tributes to stabbed 84-year-old

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3 July 2013

A retired 84-year-old teacher who was found stabbed to death in her home has been described as a "lovely lady" and "everybody's grandma" as police linked her murder to the stabbing of a nine-year-old boy and another incident involving a child.

A 26-year-old man is being questioned by police about the death of Louisa Denby, who was found with multiple stab wounds at her home in Shipley, West Yorkshire, as well as the attack on the school boy and another incident in which an eight-year-old girl was chased through a garden, forcing her take refuge in her house.

The discovery of Mrs Denby's body in the bedroom of her semi-detached house in Prospect Mount came just hours after the boy was airlifted to hospital from the Carnegie skate park, about 300m away, with chest and arms injuries.

Witnesses described how the youngster was stabbed in an apparently random attack and was covered in blood.

Detectives said there appears to be no connection between the injured boy and Mrs Denby and the attack in the park came without warning and for no reason.

Lisa Lacey said her 18-year-old son, Eli, saw the boy being stabbed and chased his attacker.

Describing the incidents as "a nightmare", the grandmother said: "My son was in the park. A little lad, nine years old, came running up to him saying, 'Eli, I've been stabbed'.

Mrs Lacey said she later heard a noise at Mrs Denby's house and thought the pensioner was being broken into, but it was the police. She added that she was distraught when she realised her neighbour had died.

"I just broke down. I was sobbing... sobbing. She was everyone's grandma. She was a lovely lady - just the type of person you want for your nana."

Mrs Denby's next-door neighbour, Jackie Smith, added: "She was such a good neighbour and she was really respected down this road. She was my husband's school teacher and then, when she moved in, she'd say, 'Hiya, Michael, I remember you'. She was absolutely lovely."

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