Tributes have been paid to a woman from a “highly respected” Conon Bridge family who died after falling into a river.
Elizabeth Sutherland died after falling into the River Conon on Saturday evening.
The 84-year-old was later recovered following a major rescue operation in the river near Ferry Point between Dingwall and Conon Bridge where there is a coastal path.
She was airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness but later died.
Police last night confirmed her identity and said that there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances.
Residents in the village last night said that Mrs Sutherland was believed to be in good health and was regularly seen on the streets walking her dog.
Conon Bridge-based Councillor Alister Mackinnon paid tribute to her last night, saying the tragedy had affected the entire community.
He said: “I knew the family and they are very highly respected locally.
“My thoughts are with them at this very difficult time for them.
“There is a real sense of sadness and shock in the village.”
He said he believed Mrs Sutherland’s death to be the result of a “tragic accident”.
Mrs Sutherland was initially spotted by a passer-by who raised the alarm on Saturday evening after she was seen in difficulty in the river.
The search operation involved the Inverness-based coastguard helicopter and the Invergordon lifeboat.
She was found in near the mouth of the river and rescued by the helicopter crew.
The tragedy happened at the end of a week in which an Aberdeen mother and son died when a family day out at the beach turned to horror and several other people lost their lives in separate accidents around the UK’s coasts.
A police spokesman said: “Police Scotland can confirm the identity of the female rescued from the River Conon, around 6.20pm Saturday, August 27 who later sadly died at Raigmore Hospital Inverness to be Elizabeth Sutherland, aged 84 years, of Conon Bridge.”
The police have previously confirmed that there are not believed to have been any suspicious circumstances and said a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.
