Friends and family of Antonietta Guarino, whose body was found in the river Avon last week, are preparing for her funeral in Trowbridge.

The family of the 61-year-old grandmother, who died from multiple head injuries, are waiting for her post-mortem examination to be completed and her body to be released before any official plans for a funeral service are made.

Her son Tom Sebastiano, who lives in Chertsey, Surrey, said the service will be held in the town Mrs Guarino had adopted as her home.

Canon Liam O’Driscoll of St John the Baptist Church in Wingfield Road, where Mrs Guarino visited regularly, said many people had been distressed by the recent news and are keen to pay their respects.

“Some of her friends that know her well are very upset and very saddened,” he said.

“It helps them that her body has been found because otherwise they were left wondering what had happened, although they expected that she was dead, so it is a very sad time for them.

“We have been praying for her because I know the sadness people are feeling. We have a great trust in the Lord.

“I know a lot of her friends, like any friends, have a very strong regard for her and it’s only natural that they would like to pay their respects.

“We don’t know when the body will be released yet so we are now just waiting for that before anything else.

“I knew her well. I have known her for ten years. She was a nice person and friendly. I would speak to her most Sundays.”

Mrs Guarino’s body was recovered from the river in Bradford on Avon on February 24. She had been missing for more than a month.

The Wiltshire Times has received numerous tributes from people wanting to pay their respects to Mrs Guarino.

Lisa Plummer, 35, from Radstock, worked with Antoinetta, or Antoinette as colleagues knew her, for several years at Green Lane Houses in Frome, which cares for mentally ill people.

She said: “Antoinette was one of the nicest, kindest people I have ever worked with and went out of her way to help others.

“This awful news has come as a huge shock to myself and others who worked with Antoinette at Green lane, and myself, Mary, Elaine and Angie would all like to send our condolences to the family and Antoinette’s many friends.”

Sara Bailey, 51, of Combe Down, Bath, who works for estate agents Bairstow Eves, said: “We only got to know Antonietta as we were marketing her house but I would often have long chats on the phone when I was booking a viewing or keeping her updated.

“She was a lovely, caring person and she often told me about her family especially the grandchildren – she obviously adored them and was very proud of them.

“I feel devastated for her family and close friends, Antonietta, or Antoinette, as I usually called her was just such a lovely lady.”

l Two Trowbridge men, Marc Riley, 24, Mrs Guarino’s lodger at her bungalow in Osborne Road, and his boyfriend David Carr-Burstow, have been charged with her murder.