Woman, 89, found dead in river (From Free Press Series)

Woman, 89, found dead in river

TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular 89-year-old Chepstow woman found dead in a brook near her home.

Police recovered the body of Joan Whittaker from a fast-flowing river on Monday morning after she was discovered by walkers.

County councillor Graham Down said he knew Mrs Whittaker, a widow, and had met her several times while calling on his constituents.

Councillor Down said: "Mrs Whittaker was a lovely lady and very independent. I tried to insist several times that she used a postal vote but she always delivered her ballot in person at the polling station." Close friend Meg Pestell simply said: "It has upset me, I knew her well and her death is very sad."

Reverend Julian White of Mathern Vicarage began visiting Mrs Whittaker at a residential home in Chepstow where she lived for a short time after her house was flooded several years ago.

He said: "I immediately warmed to Mrs Whittaker because she was highly intelligent and determined.

"People thought at her age she would stay in the home from then on but she was determined to get back to the house where she'd lived for about 50 years.

"Her husband died before I arrived in the area but she was a very well-known figure in the village.

"As a person Mrs Whittaker was very independent. She had travelled a lot and was a superb gardener of exotic plants, which she really brought on.

"She was also extremely fond of her five or six cats. It's a sad day indeed."

A zimmer frame was found close to where Mrs Whittaker's body was discovered. Police say they are not treating her death as suspicious.

Inspector Peter Davies said: "It is believed she left her house early in the morning and fell into the water. Whether she entered on purpose or fell in by accident will probably never be known, but we have no reason to suspect anything suspicious."

He added that the fast-flowing waters had carried Mrs Whittaker's body between 40 and 50 metres from the spot where she fell in.