The family of a Norfolk grandmother who was beheaded in Tenerife have paid tribute to the 'generous support' they have received after the brutal killing.

Jennifer Mills-Westley, 60, was killed in the popular holiday resort of Los Cristianos on the island on Friday.

In a statement the family thanked the police in Tenerife, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Victim Support and Missing Abroad.

They said: 'Without the generous support and help we have received from these people we don't know how we would have got through to this stage. We can't thank them enough.''

Ms Mills-Westley, originally from Norwich, was inside a Chinese-owned shop on Avenida Juan Carlos when she was viciously stabbed and decapitated.

She had been living in Tenerife after retiring from her job as a road safety officer with Norfolk County Council.

A 28-year-old Bulgarian man called Deyan Deyanov was arrested on suspicion of killing her, and is now being held at a psychiatric unit.

Matt Searle from the charity Missing Abroad said: 'This has been an awful time for the family.

'There has been intense media interest in the case and a degree of speculation.

'But this is not a time for speculation - it is a time for the family to grieve and come to terms with their loss.'

Mrs Mills-Westley, who used to live in Hellesdon, is said to have adored being out in Tenerife according to a former work colleague.

Iain Temperton, who is now a team manager for the casualty reduction team at Norfolk County Council, worked with Mrs Mills-Westley when they were both road safety officers.

He said: 'Shock is the word that sums it up', he said. 'We all saw the media coverage on Friday and that was shocking enough, but when it turned out the next day it was someone we worked with, shock doesn't cover how you feel.'

He added: 'I last saw her about two years ago. She was out of the county, but when she was back in the county she did keep in touch now and again. She loved her life. She obviously adored being out there and coming back to visit her children and grandchildren was very important to her.

'She was always going to cram her life full of stuff. She went out and tackled the world head on. She had a lot of time for her family. She was looking after her parents.

He said: 'Clearly our thoughts are with Jenny's family, with the girls and Jenny's grandchildren.'