TRIBUTES have been paid to a young receptionist who was found dead on a shore in Southampton.

Southampton Coroner’s Court has named Rebecca Currie, 24, as the dead woman who was discovered on the River Itchen shoreline at Hazel Road in the Woolston area of the city on Sunday.

Rebecca was known to hundreds of patients in Winchester because she worked as a receptionist in The Friarsgate Practice in Weeke. She had worked there for just under six months, and colleagues and patients have been coming to terms with the loss of a popular member of staff.

Practice manager Bob Wood led tributes from those in the surgery.

He said: “The doctors and staff offer their heartfelt condolences and support to the family at this incredibly difficult time.

“The whole of The Friarsgate Practice is devastated by the sad loss of one of its youngest team members under such tragic circumstances.”

To allow staff and patients to reflect on the tragedy, the surgery closed for one hour yesterday.

Mr Wood said: “We had the opportunity, albeit for a brief time, to come together as a team and reflect on the loss of such a bright young lady and to offer our support to those staff members struggling to come to terms with this news. Becca will be fondly rem-embered and sadly missed by us all.”

Rebecca attended Regents Park Community College and then Totton College in 2008. Her death is not being treated as suspicious.

An inquest into her death has been opened.