The death of a young mother who drowned after slipping while the dog who walked with her young daughter on the coast has asked shocked friends: “How could this have happened?”
Saffron Cole-Nottage, 32, had set off with the oldest daughter Jessica, 11, to walk the family dog on Sunday when the tragedy struck while she fell on gigantic boulders at the foot of the sea wall in Lowestoft, Suffolk.
It is believed that saffron had slipped while he ran on the smooth moss -like rocks compared to 'an ice rink' and died after being imprisoned between the rocks and allegedly drowned.
A huge rescue operation was mounted after the incident happened along the seawall, including the landing of a helicopter.
Her destroyed partner described what happened to Saffron as a 'freak horrible' accident, but friends have wondered how teams from the police and specially trained coastguard teams could not save her.
A friend said: 'Everyone is unbelief. She was with her 11-year-old daughter Jess. They walked with them. Jess held the dog and Saff fell.
'Apparently the temperature dropped and the surface became like ice. She slid out.
'We heard that it suggested that she was somehow clamped in the rocks, but it is not clear what exactly happened.
Saffron Cole-Nottage, 32, is supposed to have lost her foot while he walks on a concrete ledge next to huge boulders at the foot of the marine wall in Lowestoft, Suffolk, on Sunday evening
The local population said there are no entry marks where the young mother reportedly walked, was not forbidden for pedestrians (depicted: off-limit signs)
“There have been conflicting reports about what happened. We heard some reports that she was aware, but others said the girl called her, but she didn't respond.
'It's just not clear and we hope that the authorities can give some answers. Whatever it was, it must have been absolutely terrible for the young girl. There would have been no one nearby at that hour in the dark.
'It seems that there are questions that must be answered. There will have to be a coroner's report, but it is not logical. '
Friends told how Saffron had moved to the coastal city last year to start a new life with Jessica, the youngest daughter Jasmine, Zeven, and her partner Mike Wheeler, 42. The couple went a son Hudson who is only eight months old.
Mr Wheeler placed a sincere tribute online, which showed a handwritten note following the tragedy.
He wrote: 'My dear 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 horrible in this freak, the rest of my life will not be well with me.
'You will be missed by so much forever and I am really not sure if I will ever be the same without you.
Saffron Cole-Nottage, 32, drowned after slipping and trapped among rocks on a Suffolk Beach on Sunday
Heartbreaking tribute left for young mother on the coast. Saffron had only given a baby boy for months before the incident
“Me and the children will love you and never forget you until we meet again.”
One of their daughters had added on the map: “My beautiful mummy, I love you the world.”
Back in Gillingham, good friend Sarah Houckham said, 52,: “I can't believe she's gone.
'To think she was only 32. She had the children and the baby – Hudson is only eight months old.
'They had gone there to start a new life and had found a bit of luck.
“I spoke with Michael's family. They said she had just gone to take the dog for a walk – and now she's gone. '
Saffron used to work in the local Poundland store and also helped behind the bar in the Canterbury Tales Pub in Gillingham, Kent, where Sarah was the license holder for 14 years.
They played together in the same darts team and Saffron also worked for Sarah when she took over the nearby Rock Avenue club.
A huge rescue effort was mounted to try to save her, but it is believed that she had been imprisoned between the rocks and reportedly drowned
A man who did not want to be called, the boulders who are also grossy for an 'ice rink' (photo)
Sarah brought tribute to Saffron and said: 'She was an absolutely fantastic person.
“She was such a good friend – we go back many years. We had each other's back.
'She came from this area, but went to Suffolk to start a new life a little more than a year ago.
'She used to work for me in the pub and the club. She was such a great smile – the customers loved her.
'She worked for me and we played arrows together as a double combination. She was an exceptional arrow player. We used to play together in the ladies and the men's team and they won a lot of trophies.
'Saff first went up with the children. Because of his work, Michael could not immediately go up there, so that he had to stay here a bit.
“He went up there as soon as possible, with the exchange of job.
“It just came together for them. Saff had her mother and dad up there. '
Flower tribute to the lowest by the sea near where Saffron Cole-Nottage died
Another friend said: 'Everyone is in shock. Nobody can understand how it could have happened.
“The family left a year ago and they just started setting up. They went to live in Lowestoft to start again. They wanted to leave the area and start again. They only had the baby eight months ago.
'Although they left, they would come back to visit everyone. They would come this weekend to play arrows. They both play. Mike works in a bookmakers. '
The local population told MailOnline that the area where Saffron apparently ran is forbidden for pedestrians and there are no access signs on both ends of the beach warning people not to walk there.
In addition to the smooth granite rocks, the concrete surface is also mushed and could have been icy on Sunday evening.
“It's like an ice rink down there,” a local man told MailOnline while looking at the place of the tragedy.
“Long ago the ledge used to be a path, but nowadays the tide comes much further than before and with the rocks that have been placed against Kusterosy there, it is not somewhere where you would feel safe.”
The 65-year-old, who asked not to be mentioned, added: 'There are signs at both ends and a real barrier in the southern approach, but it is possible that the young lady did not see them when she came from the north .
The seaflock racks in Lowesoft, where emergency staff hurried, but could not save the mother
“It's terrible to happen, I feel sorry for her young children.”
Other flowers and heartbreaking tribute were left behind for the 'beautiful' mother near the stage – while grieving loved ones shared how she would be 'missed' forever.
Another emotional message said: “Your lights shone here clearly and you will also shine clearly there – Forever 32.”
Online tribute also flowed on social media, including one that said 'Rest in Paradise Saff'.
Another said: “My beautiful bestie forever 32 The light for my everything I will miss you forever – the pain hurts so much, love your saffron cole -nottage.”
An enormous emergency aid was aimed at the Esplanade area of Lowestoft at around 8 p.m. on Sunday after first reports that a person had fallen into the sea, while the temperature went below freezing.
Police, HM Coastguard Rescue Officers from Lowestoft, the ambulance service East of England and the East Anglian Air Ambulance all responded when the tragedy unfolded.
MailOnline has approached Suffolk Police and HM Coastguard for a comment.
In an earlier statement, the Suffolk police said: 'The police and other emergency services were present in Lowestoft on Sunday in an incident where a woman died after a fall.
'Suffolk Constabulary was called up by the ambulance service around 8.03 pm to an incident on the coast for the Esplanade in the city.
'A number of emergency services were present, including Oost -Engand from Air Ambulance.
'A woman, in the age of thirty, unfortunately died on the spot.
'Death is currently being treated for inexplicable, but it is not currently assumed that they are suspicious circumstances. A file is now completed for the coroner. '
