WARM tributes have been paid to Nancy Lou Shearer Masters who died when her Land Rover came off the road and went into a lake in Dungeness on Monday evening.

Her mother, Lydd town councillor Marie Masters, described her 53-year-old daughter as avery generous, lovely and a wonderful mother and said she has taken comfort from doctors who have said she would not have known anything about the incident.

Mrs Shearer Masters had planned to attend the Lydd Town Council meeting at 6.30pm with her mother. The pair went in separate cars, but she never arrived.

Police were alerted at 7.30pm to a partly-submerged vehicle, a Freelander, in the water off Dungeness Road. It had gone through a fence, into the water and came to rest upside down.

Lydd firefighters were the first on the scene, followed by New Romney, Ashford and Dover.

A specialist marine unit from Larkfield was also sent to recover the car and carry out a search of the lake.

It was winched out and up the bank, righted using a line and manpower and the door opened using hydraulic cutting equipment.

Cllr Masters came across the road block on the way home from the meeting.

Mrs Shearer Masters moved back to live with her mother in Williamson Road in September. She has two sons.

Kent Police’s serious crash investigation unit is dealing with the case and believes there were no other vehicles involved. Anyone witnesses are asked to contact officers on 01622 798538.

THE incident has highlighted Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s water rescue procedures.

Firefighters are told not to enter water beyond knee height and instead have to wait for specialist teams from other parts of the county. The one that went to Dungeness on Monday is stationed at Larkfield and took 50 minutes to get there.

One Marsh firefighter told the Kentish Express he did not think it would have made a difference to Mrs Shearer Masters had the equipment been based on the Marsh, but it may do in the future.

He said: “Firefighters are trained in risk assessment and do not put themselves or fellow crew members at risk. There are times when a rescue can be carried out safely without the specialist teams. “Considering the amount of water on Romney Marsh there should be water rescue facilities based here.”