Tributes have been paid to a "deeply respected" Putney woman who was buried in a landslide in Dorset.

Rosemary Snell, 67, and her friend Michael Rolfe, 72, died instantly when a landslip of hundreds tonnes of mud and earth fell and blocked the entrance to the Beaminster Tunnel on July 7.

After a long search Ms Snell's car was found buried near the entrance to the tunnel nine days later, on July 16, with their bodies still inside.

Ms Snell lived in Colebrook Close, in Putney, for 15 years prior to her move to the village of Misterton in Dorset in April.

Since news of her death broke tributes poured in from friends, former colleagues and neighbours.

Paul Hart, a former neighbour, said: "Rosemary was full of life and enthusiasm and was always very busy.

"She had a tremendous sense of humour, a magnificent spirit and was exceptional company whenever socialising and many people liked her and respected her."

Another friend Joan Taylor recalled her love of games and quizzes. She said: "Rosemary had an incredible breadth of general knowledge and was a huge fan of pub quizzes and trivia.

"I gather she had taken country life by the horns and was really involved in the community in Misterton.

"I'm sure her many friends around the country will be devastated by the news."

She had been planning her move to the south-west for some time and her "dream move" became a reality when she sold her Putney property for just under £500,000.

In her working life, the former Putney resident had been head of social work at Merton and Lambeth Citizens Advice Bureau and a welfare administrator.

Outside of work, Ms Snell was vice-president of her local Women's Institute and was also a registered London tour guide and a member of The Guild of Guide Lecturers. Ruth Bond, chair of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, said: "We were all shocked and deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of Rosemary Snell, member of Misterton WI. "Everyone at the NFWI would like to pass on our sincere condolences to her family and friends, and I’m sure that WI members throughout the UK will be thinking of them during this sad time."

Ms Snell and Mr Rolfe, believed to be her partner, were driving home from a night out in Beaminster when her silver Skoda was flattened in the tunnel by tonnes of tons of mud and rubble.

Friends became concerned when Ms Snell did not appear for engagements and her car was found nine days later on July 16.

An inquest, held at West Dorset Coroner's Court on Monday, was opened and the coroner stated the pair would have been killed "instantaneously" when the landslide engulfed Ms Snell's Skoda.

On Tuesday, police reported that opportunist thieves had burgled her now empty home, ransacking the £325,000 property and stealing items such as silver and jewellery.