The funeral of an ex-Miss Venezuela gunned down with her British-born husband was being held on Friday, with their orphaned five-year-old daughter expected to attend.

Thousands have been paying tribute to Monica Spear, 29, killed in a highway robbery in her homeland, one of Latin America’s most violent countries.

Among the mourners, Venezuelan comedian Rolando Salazar said: “I am very sorry that she has become the face of the thousands being killed across the country.”

“We admired her very much,” added fan Yuli Ramirez, describing the beauty queen turned actress as “a beautiful person.”

She went on: “It is sad to feel what we are feeling in our country because we are surrounded by so much crime.”

A number of arrests have been made in connection with the shooting in which the couple’s daughter survived, with a bullet wound to her leg.

Miss Venezuela 2004, Monica Spear lived in the US but was holidaying in Venezuela.

Before being gunned down in their car, she and her husband, who had separated, were reportedly on the verge of reconciling for their daughter’s sake.