32-year-old Saffron Cole-Nottage died on 2 February
An inquest has heard that a 32-year-old mum died in front of her daughter after falling and getting her head stuck in between two sea boulders.
On 2 February 2025, Saffron Cole-Nottage and her daughter had been walking their dog alongside the seafront in Lowestoft, Suffolk, when she tragically slipped on a narrow path and became stuck in nearby sea defence rocks.
According to senior inquest officer Paul Sermons, Saffron had slipped twice on the path and landed with her head trapped between the rocks.
“While walking, Saffron lost her footing and slipped, landing on the pathway,” Sermons told the court.
“Although Saffron managed to get herself back up, she fell again and landed with her head between the sea defence rocks.”
He added: “Saffron became trapped and partially submerged in the water with the tide rising.”
Saffron’s daughter and members of the public would desperately attempt to free her from the rocks as emergency services rushed to the scene, however, they were unable to save her and the mum-of-three would die at the scene.
“Although they managed to free Saffron from the rocks, she tragically died,” Sermons added.
A coroner has since agreed to open a full inquest into her cause of death, with a pre-inquest review hearing scheduled for 6 June.
Saffron’s death was confirmed at the time by Suffolk Police, with a spokesperson stating: “The death is currently being treated as unexplained but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances at this time.”
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Tributes were later left at the scene, as shocked locals shared their condolences to Saffron’s family.
Tributes laid included one which appeared to be from her children, which read: “My beautiful mummy, I love you the world.”
A second tribute read: “You will forever be missed by so many.”
“The family are obviously devastated,” Lowestoft local Tricia Butler, who visited the scene to lay flowers with her husband Barry, told the BBC.
“The family are obviously devastated. It’s just tragic, absolutely tragic,” she continued.
“It shouldn’t have happened… she had her whole life to live. It’s sad.”
Online tributes to Saffron were also shared on social media, which read ‘rest in paradise Saff’ while a second shared their condolences to the family of a ‘beautiful, amazing lady’.
“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,” read a third.
