River death woman is identified

A woman found dead in a river in East Cumbria has been identified as a 61-year-old grandmother.

The body of Ruth France, from Maple Close in Sedbergh, was discovered on Wednesday morning after a massive search operation.

It began when a car was spotted in the River Dee, between Sedbergh and Dent, on Tuesday evening.

Her family described her as a popular and treasured mother-of-two who would be sadly missed.

One of her sons, Chris France, said: "Our mum leaves behind a family that misses her and a vast network of friends, who we would like to attend her funeral next week.

"This was a tragic accident and we would like to thank the emergency services who searched for her."