A MURDER-style inquiry was launched after a woman was found dead at her home in Queensberry Road, Burnley, three days after being beaten with a baseball bat.

Former Accrington woman Deborah Homes, 29, was found dead in bed at 6am yesterday. Although a post mortem examination has ruled out the earlier injuries as a cause police are treating it as a "suspicious death."

They were already investigating the baseball bat incident in Leyland Road, Burnley, on Thursday evening.

Deborah was treated at Burnley General for extensive cuts and bruises to her face and head then went home.

Home Office pathologist Dr William Lawler carried out a post mortem examination. He told police she had not died as a result of her injuries and that the probable cause was a drugs overdose.

Det Insp Colin Barton said: "We are now awaiting the result of forensic analysis.''

Deborah was found by her partner, Andrew Lee Bury, 27.

When he could not rouse her he went to friends for help. They alerted the emergency services.

Det Insp Barton said: "We were aware she had been involved in an incident on Thursday evening as a result of which she was taken to hospital where she received treatment for quite extensive injuries to her face and head. "She went home and the information we have from her partner is that she had suffered headaches and dizziness."

As a result of the post-mortem examination findings, death as a result of injuries from Thursday's incident has been ruled out.

A woman has been charged with an offence of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Two men and a woman were arrested in connection with possible drugs offence.

Deborah has a four-year-old daughter who is with her father on holiday in Majorca. They have been told of the tragedy.

Deborah was brought up by her grandparents, Frank and Gladys Smitheram, who live in Accrington, following the tragic death of her mother when she was only six.

She attended Casterton Primary School in Burnley, Mansfield High School, Brierfield, and then Moorland High School, Accrington. She left school to work at Rists, Accrington.

She was married in 1988 but has been separated from her husband for several years.

Mrs Smitheram said: "We are devastated. We lost our daughter and now we have lost our granddaughter. It is hard to take in what has happened.''

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