A MUM died when she became trapped among sea defence boulders after apparently slipping on a treacherous coastal path which has been likened to an “ice rink” by locals.
Saffron Cole-Nottage, 32, is believed to have lost her footing on the algae-covered path while out walking her dog with her daughter and plunged down a gap between the giant rocks.
FacebookSaffron Cole-Nottage died after falling and becoming trapped between boulders[/caption]
East Anglia News ServiceA view of the seafront where Ms Cole-Nottage is thought to have slipped[/caption]
East Anglia News ServiceOne of the signs warning of the danger[/caption]
The mother-of-three is reported to have drowned in front of rescuers as they desperately battled to free her on Sunday evening while the tide was coming in at Lowestoft, Suffolk.
Local residents believe the freak accident happened when Ms Cole-Nottage was walking along the path running along the bottom of the sea wall on the seafront.
Saffron had only just given birth to her third child, a baby boy, a few months ago, joining her two other children Jessica, 11, and Jasmine, 7.
Signs either end of the path warn people to stay off the boulders and not to walk on the section of beach under the town’s Esplanade, saying that “access is restricted”.
But anyone can easily ignore the signs and step over a barrier at one end of the path.
The other end just has a sign stuck in the sand with no fencing or barrier to stop people from passing.
A friend of Ms Cole-Nottage who asked not to be named, told The Sun: “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 said: “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: “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.”
Heartbreaking note from kids among tributes
Tributes flooded in for Saffron Cole-Nottage who lived in Lowestoft with her partner Michael Wheeler and children after moving from Gillingham, Kent.
Several bunches of flowers have been 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 today 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 is believed to have 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.”
Her partner 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 Suffolk Police statement said: “Police and other emergency services were in attendance in Lowestoft on Sunday 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.
SWNSFloral tributes at the scene[/caption]
SWNSPoignant messages were left describing the mum as ‘beautiful’[/caption]
East Anglia News ServiceFloral tributes and notes on the sea front[/caption]
“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.”
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.”
SWNSShe is understood to have drowned after becoming trapped in the boulders along the sea wall in the Suffolk town[/caption]
FacebookThe young mum from Kent is understood to have drowned[/caption]
FacebookOne tribute read ‘my beautiful mummy, I love you the world’[/caption]
SWNSFlowers and tributes left for the young mum[/caption]