A BRIDE-to-be killed in the car park of a Huddersfield nightspot was due to marry in the USA.

Jolene Amanda Potter-Connolly, 23, died in an incident involving a car outside the Ethos and Visage nightclubs on St Thomas' Road, Folly Hall, at 2.30am yesterday.

Three Huddersfield men - two aged 25 and a 17-year-old - have been arrested by police on suspicion of murder.

They have been released on police bail, pending futher inquiries, until November 6.

Jolene had successfully finished her honours degree course in business studies at Huddersfield University in the summer and was due to attend the graduation ceremony at the town hall this November.

During her course she studied in both Sweden and also Atlanta in the USA.

While in Atlanta, she met an American called John and the couple were due to marry this autumn.

Jolene was due to fly out next week, after a leaving party in Huddersfield.

She was a family friend of Huddersfield policeman Sgt Tim O'Sullivan.

He said: "It's absolutely devastating. Jolene was a person who brought joy and happiness to everyone she knew."

He said she had worked hard to support herself through her university course and over the years had jobs in shops, pubs and nightclubs.

Sgt O'Sullivan added: "After she met John she decided she wanted to live abroad. The couple were planning to open a hotel in the West Indies.

"She had worked so hard to get to where she was in life. Her death is such a terrible tragedy."

Det Insp Sam Cooke, of Huddersfield CID, has urged anyone who saw the events of yesterday morning to come forward.

He said: "We have had an excellent response to appeals so far and would like anyone who saw the incident to contact us."

The run-up to the tragedy involved a dispute between two groups of people in the nightclub car park.

Jolene is believed to have been dragged by a car. She was found gravely injured on St Thomas's Road, at the entrance to the complex. She died soon afterwards in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Det Insp Cooke added: "I would like to thank the public and businesses in the vicinity affected by the closure of St Thomas' Road yesterday.

"It was of vital importance to us that the scene was kept sterile while we examined it for evidence. I'd like to thank people for their patience."

Jolene used to live at Hulbert Croft in Almondbury and had been staying with her sister in Almondbury in more recent times.

A neighbour from Hulbert Croft said: "Jolene had everything going for her. She had everything ahead of her.

"The last time I saw her she was looking forward to going back to America."

Jolene was the eldest of four children. She had a younger sister, 21-year-old Tonya, and two younger brothers, Kyle and Reece.

The family had recently moved from Almondbury to Cowlersley.

The family were described as good neighbours, who were missed when they moved.

Jolene and her sister were part of a tight-knit group of young women who grew up together in Almondbury.

A friend who had known Jolene for 15 years said: "I just could not believe it when I heard. I just put the phone down and cried all day."

She said Jolene was an intelligent girl who was fun to be with.

She added: "Jolene was intellectual; you could see it when she was younger."

A neighbour added: "She was very attractive with lovely dark hair. She was polite and quietly spoken.

"This is something you do not expect to happen."

A spokesman at Huddersfield University said Jolene had completed a BA honours degree in business studies this summer.

He added: "She was really excited about achieving an upper second-class honours degree.

"She was a very likeable girl and a very good student," the spokesman said.

"Everyone in the business studies department was devastated to hear the tragic news."

* Anyone with information about Jolene's death should phone Huddersfield CID on 01484 436582 or the main helpdesk on 01484 436659.

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