THE cruiser that capsized on Saturday night killing a woman has been lifted from the River Severn.

Using a work barge fitted with a special crane on loan from British Waterways, police hauled the Sweetie Pie out of the river at Stourport-on-Severn yesterday.

Marine experts will examine the cruiser to find out if there was anything mechanically wrong before it capsized during the town's carnival on Saturday.

Fifteen of the 16 passengers were rescued but Jane Turner, a 45-year-old tax inspector, was found unconscious by rescue workers inside the craft and was later pronounced dead at hospital.

Her son, James, and her partner Nick John, paid tribute to her yesterday.

"We are truly devastated by the loss of Jane," he said.

"She was a wonderfully vibrant woman who had many, many friends.

"She was always the life and soul of any party. She was very intelligent and worked with the Inland Revenue training others to be inspectors.

"She was just a normal person who enjoyed doing everyday things. She enjoyed gardening, going to the theatre and to the cinema.

"She worked very hard and those who knew her knew what a fantastic person she was."

Mrs Turner, of Brownsover Close, Castle Bromwich, Solihull, was part of the private party on board the cruiser. Police are investigating the possibility the craft was overloaded.

A Home Office pathologist, who carried out a post mortem on Mrs Turner yesterday afternoon, gave the initial cause of death as drowning. Further tests are due to be carried out.

River patrols had warned the passengers the Sweetie Pie, which sleeps six, was submerging, said Pete Roberts, a carnival committee spokesman. Two women and a man were detained by police and released on bail on Sunday night pending further inquiries.

Police want anyone who was in the area, particularly anyone videoing events on the river on carnival day, to contact them on 08457 444888.