“OUR mother had incredible compassion and believed it was her duty to care for people.”

Those were the words of Ann Powles’ children after their mother’s body was found underneath ice in the River Cherwell, along with her border terrier Jumbo.

Deeply religious Mrs Powles, of Hobson Road, Summertown, died of heart failure after falling into the river shortly after 6pm on Monday evening.

Police discovered her body on Wednesday afternoon after a member of the public spotted red clothing under the ice near Sunnymead Recreation Ground.

Describing their 74-year-old mother as a ‘super granny’, her children Stephen, Christopher, Clare and Julia, said she adored her grand-children and worked tirelessly to help other people in the community.

“Our mother had incredible compassion and believed it was her duty to care for people,” the family said last night.

“She had always cooked, cleaned and taken care of elderly people on a voluntary basis, and once a month she would cook lunch for a group of 20 to 30 elderly people at the Cutteslowe Community Centre in North Oxford.

“Our mother was much loved and very important to our family and the community.

“She would never have thought of herself, only rescuing her beloved dog. This was a tragic accident and we are all coming to terms with what has happened. We are all devastated.”

Last night, friends and neighbours listed the endless contributions Mrs Powles made to the community and her local church, St Michael and All Angels in Summertown.

She also raised more than £1,000 for church funds by selling food she cooked.

The Rev Jan Rushton, of St Michael and All Angels, said her death had left an “enormous gap” in Summertown.

She said: “She was such a caring person.

“She did so much for other people and despite her age, she never stopped.

“She was the sort of person that if you asked for help, she would give it.”

Mrs Powles worked for the Civil Service in London after she left school.

She moved to East Africa with her parents, and it was there that she met her future husband and three of her four children were born.

A widow since 1974, she moved to Oxford in 2003 to be close to her grandchildren.

Ian Jones and his wife Sara, who helped run the Hobson Road Residents’ Group, said: “She was a wonderful neighbour and a much loved and well-known figure. She gave herself to help other people.

“She was the sort of person who we should recognise, she was so self-effacing – I don’t think people realised fully what a lovely person she was.”

Churchgoer Sue Smith said: “She was dedicated to the service of others and God. She was the most beautiful person.”