Tributes have been paid to a young girl who died in the River Thames, with heartbroken family members describing her as a “beautiful angel”.

She has been named on social media as “Bia” and is understood to have been just nine years old.

Her body was recovered from the river, near Gravesend, yesterday morning following a huge search involving the police’s marine units, the coastguard helicopter and lifeboats.

Devastated members of her family, believed to be from Romania, say she “had her whole life ahead of her”.

Emergency services were scrambled to the Royal Terrace Pier in Gravesend at 1.46pm on Friday following reports two children, a boy and a girl, had got into difficulty in the water.

The boy, thought to be seven, was later retrieved from the water. It is understood two men jumped into the river to save him.

The search for the girl was suspended on Friday evening before resuming the following morning.

But tragically, at 11.40am on Saturday, a body was recovered from the river, near Gravesend.

Formal identification by the girl's next of kin has taken place.

Police say the death is not being treated as suspicious at this stage and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

Last night, Mirela Turcanu posted on social media: “Oh, she left us speechless, this little girl had her whole life ahead of her, but she had the life that was decided by God. Smooth road to heaven, my niece.”

Leon Alkapone described her as “my niece, my beautiful angel”.

One post said: “Rest In Peace, Little Angel, Bia. May God comfort the grieving family.”

It is understood Bia was playing with her cousin near the water when she slipped and the current pulled her in.

The boy saved from the water during the initial search remains at a local hospital in a stable condition.

According to a spokesman for the nearby Gravesend Rowing Club, one of the men swam out using a life ring.

He managed to retrieve the boy, but lost sight of the girl before he could do anything to help her.

A cordon was put in place at the junction of Commercial Place, The Terrace and Milton Place on Friday.

Gravesham MP Dr Lauren Sullivan posted a statement on social media on Saturday afternoon, offering her “deepest condolences” to the family.

“I am deeply saddened to hear that a body has been recovered in the search for the girl who went missing in the River Thames in Gravesend,” the Labour MP said.

“I would like to thank emergency services, including the coastguard, Kent Police, the RNLI, and PLA many others for their efforts in the search.

“I know there are many opinions circulating at this time about the circumstances surrounding this tragic event and from speaking to the authorities it is right that there is an investigation, as with all sad circumstances such as these, but at the heart of this is a family and community in grief which I hope everyone can respect.

“I send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the child, and keep them all in my thoughts at this time.”