The son of a 70-year-old woman who died after drowning in the River Roding has asked for well-wishers to donate to a Woodford Green hospice.

The body of Nancy Ryan, of Gaynes Hill Road, Woodford Bridge, was found in the river, near the Redbridge roundabout, on Sunday.

She had been missing since Tuesday of last week.

Her son Michael, 43, of Chelmsford Road, South Woodford, has set up a Just Giving page in her name to benefit the Haven House hospice in High Road, Woodford Green.

He has asked well-wishers to make a donation rather than buy flowers and �400 has already been raised.

He told the Recorder of his shock over his mother’s death earlier this week. He said: “We were expecting the worst, that’s all I can really say.” He said he didn’t think the family will ever know what happened to his mum after they led a search to find her.

The police are not treating the death as suspicious. Visit www.justgiving.com/Mark-Ryan2 to make a donation.