Keen swimmer Myrtle Edwards has drowned on a holiday in Corfu where she was recovering after an operation.

Grandmother Mrs Edwards, 66, a member of a swimming club, was on a ten-day break to the Greek island with her partner of 16-years John Wheeler.

The couple, of Deeds Grove, High Wycombe, decided on the trip instead of their usual walking holidays while Mrs Edwards recovered from the knee operation.

She had had her knee drained at the end of July to avoid a knee replacement operation because of arthritis. The accident happened five days into the holiday, on September 3.

Mr Wheeler, 47, said: "We had lunch and she went off for a swim while I took things back to the hotel. I don't know the details but she was found in the water and taken to Corfu General Hospital at 5.30pm."

He became concerned when it got to 6pm and went to look for her before reporting her missing at the hotel reception.

He said: "An hour later they took me into a back room and said a body had been pulled out of the water."

Mr Wheeler added: "Her great love was swimming in the sea and she always swam."

Mother-of-three Mrs Edwards, was well known in High Wycombe. She belonged to two rambling groups, Wycombe Philharmonic Choir, Handy Cross Joggers, and was vice-president of the Chilterns Square Dancing Club.

She was also involved with Wesley Methodist Church, in Priory Road, High Wycombe, and worked as a nurse in the outpatients' department at Wycombe Hospital for 16 years until she retired last year.

Mr Wheeler said: "She was just lovely, always had a smile on her face. She will be greatly missed."

Daughter Sarah Knight, 33, described her Mrs Edwards as "one in a million" and she said the four grandchildren are devastated.

Doctor Elsa Woodward, secretary of the Wycombe Rambling Club and a friend, said: "She was such a popular member, an extremely kind individual. She was quite adventurous as well, and could walk up hills with the best of them. We are all terribly shocked and send her family our deepest sympathy."