A 32-year-old mother of six drowned after becoming trapped upside down between sea defence boulders in Lowestoft, Suffolk. The inquest revealed a potential delay in the emergency response, raising questions about coordination between services. Despite efforts by bystanders and firefighters, the woman could not be saved.
A tragic incident unfolded on the evening of February 2 last year when Saffron Cole-Nottage, a 32-year-old mother of six, lost her life in a heartbreaking accident along the sea defence boulders in Lowestoft, Suffolk.
The inquest held at Suffolk Coroner's Court revealed that Saffron was walking her dog, Blue, with her daughter when she stumbled on a path and fell headfirst into a gap between the rocks. Her legs became stuck, leaving her trapped upside down as the tide began to rise. Her daughter, whose identity remains protected for legal reasons, immediately screamed for help, drawing the attention of nearby passersby.
Two men and a girl rushed to the scene and attempted to free Saffron from the rocks for approximately 15 minutes. Despite their efforts, they were unable to pull her out as she begged for help. The girl who made the emergency call to the ambulance service expressed her fear that Saffron would not survive as the water continued to rise around her. The inquest also highlighted a potential delay in the emergency response.
The initial 999 call was made to the East of England Ambulance Service at 7.52pm, but there was a gap in communication between the ambulance service and Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service until around 8.04pm or 8.05pm. Firefighters were not dispatched to the location until 8.10pm, five minutes later. By the time they arrived, Saffron had already succumbed to the rising tide.
Alex Singleton-Dent, one of the bystanders who attempted to rescue Saffron, recounted his experience in a statement read to the inquest. He described hearing a girl's screams for help and immediately rushing to the scene with his friends. Using the torch on his phone, he searched the dark waters before spotting Saffron's legs protruding from the rocks. Despite their combined efforts, they were unable to free her.
Singleton-Dent expressed his frustration at the delay in the emergency services' arrival, stating that it felt like hours before they arrived. He also noted that Saffron became unresponsive as the tide continued to rise, and he assumed she had died in the rocks. Another bystander, Ian Jones, described hearing the girl's screams and following Singleton-Dent to the scene. Together, they attempted to pull Saffron free, but their efforts were in vain.
Jones recounted how Saffron was wedged between the rocks, panicking and screaming as they tried to help her. The girl who was at the scene with two friends also provided a statement, describing how she heard a lot of screaming near an old lifeguard's hut and realized that a young woman was stuck headfirst in the rocks. She explained that Saffron was of a larger build and was firmly wedged, making it impossible for them to free her.
They spent around 15 minutes trying to help her, with one of her friends calling emergency services. The girl recalled Saffron shouting and screaming for help, but she was not initially aware of the rising water and the danger it posed. She expressed her belief that if the ambulance had arrived sooner, they might have been able to save Saffron.
The inquest also revealed that Saffron was more than three times the legal drink-drive alcohol limit at the time of her death. Despite being quickly freed by firefighters upon their arrival, she was already dead. Saffron was described as a loving mother who was completely devoted to her children. The tragic incident has left her family and friends devastated, and the inquest has raised questions about the emergency response and the potential for improved coordination in such critical situations
Drowning Emergency Response Inquest Sea Defence Tragedy
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Mother Drowns After Becoming Trapped Between Sea Defence Boulders, Inquest Reveals Possible Rescue DelayAn inquest has revealed the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Saffron Cole-Nottage, a 32-year-old mother who drowned after becoming trapped between sea defence boulders in Lowestoft, Suffolk. Witnesses attempted to free her for 15 minutes as the tide rose, but a delay in the emergency response may have contributed to her untimely death.
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