Inquest told of delays in calling crews to beach

2 hours ago

Richard Daniel,at Suffolk Coroner's Court, Ipswichand

George King

News image — A post-mortem report found the levels of alcohol in Saffron Cole-Nottage's system would have "significantly impaired her cognitive abilities"

Facebook A close-up of Saffron Cole-Nottage. She has brown hair and blue eyes. It is a selfie-style shot. — A post-mortem report found the levels of alcohol in Saffron Cole-Nottage's system would have "significantly impaired her cognitive abilities"

There was a delay in mobilising firefighters when a drowning mother-of-six became trapped in sea defence rocks, an inquest has heard.

Saffron Cole-Nottage died on 2 February 2025 after falling head-first in Lowestoft, Suffolk, while out walking her dog with her daughter on The Esplanade.

The 32-year-old, who had been drinking beforehand, was previously described as "screaming and panicking" as two men tried to pull her out by her legs.

Suffolk Coroner's Court heard that the incident was initially triaged by a 999-call handler as entrapment and the fire service was not called initially but only when she became unresponsive. She was removed by firefighters about 40 minutes after the fall.

She was given CPR but could not be saved.

Luke Deal/BBC Flowers tied to railings at the scene — Cole-Nottage slipped, landed on the path and then stood up, before slipping again and this time falling headfirst on to the rocks

The inquest was told that the call to the emergency services was made at 19:52 GMT by a girl who was at the scene.

In a transcript read at court, she told a call handler from the NHS East of England Ambulance Service, Daniel Joym, that Cole-Nottage was trapped and screaming.

She was instructed not to attempt to rescue her but, after nearly seven minutes, she informed the call handler that Cole-Nottage was in the water, and it was rising.

"She's going to drown," she said.

It was at this point that the emergency was changed from entrapment to drowning.

About five minutes later, the girl asked, "can they come quickly? I think she has died", before paramedics arrived about 18 minutes later.

'I don't have an answer for that'

During a pre-inquest hearing held last October, senior coroner Darren Stewart said the fire service was not mobilised until 20:10, and it did not arrive until 20:22 - half an hour after the first 999 call.

Christopher Strutt, a call handler team leader at the ambulance service, told the inquest that, had he taken the call, he would have said the fire service was required from the start.

When asked why it had not been called when it was established Cole-Nottage was trapped and in water, he replied: "I don't have an answer for that."

The inquest continues.

Do you have a story suggestion for Suffolk? Contact us below.

Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.