Colleagues and friends have paid tribute to the "polite and quiet" 26-year-old woman who drowned in a Sheerness canal.

The body of Zivile Gankovaite was recovered from the water by Kent Police’s marine unit on May 26.

Her death is not being treated as suspicious, but has shocked the Lithuanian community.

The woman, who moved to the UK from Lithuania about three years ago, lived with her boyfriend in James Street, Sheerness.

The shop assistant worked at Morrisons distribution centre in Kemsley and before that, Intergrated Service Solutions (ISS) in Teynham.

A Lithuanian language Facebook page has been set up for people to donate to help return her body to her country of birth.

Enrika Milne, who runs Arielle’s Tanning and Beauty in Sheerness High Street, said Ms Gankovaite was a regular customer at her shop.

She said: “It was a shock to the Lithuanian people to hear of her death.

“She was very polite and quiet, and like every normal girl she enjoyed a chat, having her nails done and using the sunbeds.

“We’ll miss her.”

An inquest into Ms Gankovaite’s death opened and adjourned at Archbishops Palace in Maidstone.

It was recorded she died at Barton’s Point footpath in Sheerness.

A post-mortem carried out on Thursday noted the cause of death as consistent with drowning.

Mrs Milne, who is also from Lithuania, has urged people to lay floral tributes to Ms Gankovaite.

She said: “Normally when someone dies they leave flowers at the scene.

“I’d like to see the public do the same for Zivile.

“No one should die like that, she was so young.”

Mark McGartland, site controller at Morrisons distribution centre, said: “Zivile was an immensely popular worker who will be hugely missed by everyone at the site.

“Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time.”

The inquest into Ms Gankovaite’s death has been adjourned until Tuesday, August 11.