A mother died when she became trapped underwater after falling in a gap between sea defence boulders while walking her dog with her daughter, an inquest heard today.
Saffron Cole-Nottage, 32, lost her footing after slipping on a path at the base of the sea wall and then fell again as she tried to pull herself up in Lowestoft, Suffolk.
The inquest was told how she plunged between giant boulders and landed underwater as the tide was rising on the evening of February 2.
Her daughter and members of the public battled in vain to pull her out of the rocks but she remained trapped until she was lifted out by emergency services.
The mother-of-three, who lived in Lowestoft, was later declared dead, despite attempts to revive her.
Local residents speaking at the time of her death likened the path to an ‘ice rink’ as it was so slippery from algae that covered it.
The inquest into the death of Ms Cole-Nottage was opened and adjourned during a five-minute hearing at Suffolk Coroner’s Court in Ipswich.
Senior inquest officer Paul Sermons read a statement, saying: ‘During the evening of February 2, Saffron and her daughter were walking heir dog along a narrow coastal path next to the sea defence rocks at Lowestoft sea front.
‘Whilst walking, Saffron lost her footing and slipped, landing on the pathway. Although Saffron managed to get herself up, she slipped and landed with her head between the sea defence rocks.
‘Saffron became trapped in the rocks and partly submerged in the water with the tide rising. Attempts to free Saffron were made by her daughter and members of the public.
‘Police, fire, coastguard and ambulance services attended and although they managed to free Saffron from the rocks, she tragically died.’
Mr Sermons said that Saffron, who was born in Chatham, Kent, was confirmed dead at the scene by paramedic Billy Seaman and her identification was confirmed by senior mortuary assistant Katie Lochrie on February 6.
A post-mortem examination was carried out on February 7 by Dr Rajesh Logasundaram but the result was not disclosed during the hearing.
The inquest was adjourned by senior Suffolk coroner Nigel Parsley until a review hearing on June 6, pending further inquiries.
Mr Parsley said: ‘In relation to the sad death of Saffron Cole-Nottage, I will open the inquest into her death. This will be adjourned for further work to be completed.’
Saffron and her daughter were walking along a path under the town’s Esplanade promenade, despite signs telling people to keep away from the area.
Signs either end of the path warn people to stay off the boulders and not to walk on the section of beach, saying that ‘access is restricted’.
But people can easily step over a barrier at one end of the path. The other end has a sign stuck in the sand with no fencing or barrier to stop people from passing.
A source told a local newspaper at the time that Saffron was ‘underwater and unresponsive’ when the first 999 crews arrived.
A spokesman for Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service added: ‘This is a tragic incident and our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of Ms Cole-Nottage.
‘SFRS sent specialist teams from both fire stations in Lowestoft. Crews mobilised immediately and once on scene instantly carried out a rescue into the care of the ambulance service.
‘There will now be a formal multi-agency debrief, as is standard practice for an incident of this nature.’
A spokesman for Suffolk Police said: ‘A file has been prepared for the coroner and the full circumstances of the death will now be subject to inquest proceedings. Therefore, it is important not to speculate.’
A friend of Ms Cole-Nottage who asked not to be named said at the time of her death: ‘I believe she was out with her dog and was walking on the path when she slipped and got trapped. I think she had one daughter with her. It must have been horrific.’
A 65-year-old man who has lived in Lowestoft all his life added: ‘Nobody is supposed to go down to that path.
‘There is a barrier with a sign stopping people from going along it at one end and a sign at the other.
‘The path is treacherous at any time of day, but even more so at night. It is just so slippery. I went down there once and slipped over.
‘The surface is just like green slime. It is like an ice rink and slippery as hell. If you slip over, you could easily hit the rocks and end up breaking your leg or your neck.
‘There are large gaps between the rocks and the path, and someone could easily tumble down.’
Child services worker Sean Evans, 44, of Lowestoft, said at the time: ‘The path is extra slippery because it is underwater at high tide.
‘The rocks are also underwater sometimes and the waves can be vicious as well. I wouldn’t walk along it.
‘I went down a similar path beside some other rocks further along the front when I was going fishing and it was treacherous. It felt like an ice rink and I felt it was too dangerous to stay there.’
Suffolk Police said in a statement: ‘Police and other emergency services were in attendance in Lowestoft at an incident in which a woman died after a fall.
‘Suffolk Constabulary was called at around 8.03pm, by the ambulance service, to an incident on the coast off The Esplanade in the town.
‘A number of emergency services attended including East of England of Air Ambulance.
A woman, aged in her 30s, sadly died at the scene.
‘The death is currently being treated at unexplained, but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances at this time. A file will now be completed for the Coroner.’
Tributes flooded in following the death of Ms Cole-Nottage who lived in Lowestoft with her partner Michael Wheeler and children after moving from Gillingham, Kent.
Several bunches of flowers were left on railings on the Esplanade above the spot where she died, describing her as a ‘beautiful’ mother who would be ‘forever missed’.
Trish Butler who knew Ms Cole-Nottage and went to the spot to lay flowers described her as ‘a beautiful girl inside and out’.
She added: ‘She was a lovely girl and a wonderful person, and the life and soul wherever she went.’
A bouquet left at the scene by Tricia and partner Barry read: ‘Rest in peace beautiful girl. So tragically taken, far too soon.’
Ms Cole-Nottage had two daughters, aged 11 and seven, and a baby son born last year.
One touching tribute among messages left on the railings said: ‘My beautiful mummy, I love you the world.’
Mr Wheeler left a hand-written message, saying: ‘My darling Saff, What can I really say. There are no words to express how much we will miss you.
‘The world is so cruel and to take you in this freak horrific way will not sit well with me for the rest of my life.
‘You will be forever missed by so many, and I’m really not sure I’ll ever be the same without you. Me and the kids will love you and never forget you. Until we meet again, love always, Mike and the kids.’
Another bouquet at the scene from past and present members of the Gillingham Ladies Darts League, said: ‘Dear Saff, can’t believe this is real. We hold fond memories of you with much love.’
One more emotional message said: ‘Your lights shined bright down here and you’ll shine bright up there too – forever 32.’
Yet another said: ‘To Saff, I never really told you how much I love you and how much you will be missed. I thank you for everything you have done for me.’
Online tributes also flooded in on social media, including one which said ‘rest in paradise Saff.
Another said: ‘My beautiful bestie forever 32 the light to my everything I will miss u forever and always – the pain hurts so much, love you Saffron Cole-Nottage.’
A resident whose home overlooks the scene said they realised something was wrong when they heard the East Anglian Air Ambulance landing on the beach.
He said: ‘There were blue flashing lights, and I saw Coastguard vehicles, police and ambulances along the front. I realised it was something serious.
‘It is hard to think how such an awful thing happened. I can only assume that she was on the path under the sea wall and somehow fell.
‘I have heard of people getting stuck in the rocks before. I sometimes, see people climbing over them, but they are very dangerous.’