Mother, 32, who drowned whereas trapped on Suffolk seashore slipped on ‘ice rink’ concrete ledge ‘whereas on canine stroll along with her daughter’ – as accomplice pays tribute after ‘freak’ tragedy
The partner of a mother-of-three who drowned in a ‘freak’ tragedy when she slipped and got trapped between boulders on a icy beach has paid heartbreaking tribute.
Saffron Cole-Nottage, 32, is understood to have lost her footing while walking on a concrete ledge alongside huge boulders at the base of the sea wall in Lowestoft, Suffolk, on Sunday night.
The mother, originally from Gillingham Kent, where she worked at the Canterbury Tales pub, was the beloved mother to Jessica 11, seven-year-old Jasmine, as well as a baby boy born only a few months ago.
Locals have told MailOnline the 32-year-old had been reportedly walking with her dog and daughter on the slippery mossy rocks – likened to ‘an ice rink’ – when tragedy struck
A huge rescue effort was mounted to try and save her, but it is believed she had become trapped between the rocks and reportedly drowned.
Following the tragedy, Saffron’s grieving partner, Mike Wheeler, 42, left a poignant floral tribute to her at the spot where she died.
‘My darling Saff. What can I really say, there are no words to express how much we will miss you,’ he wrote.
‘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.’
Saffron Cole-Nottage, 32, is understood to have lost her footing while walking on a concrete ledge alongside huge boulders at the base of the sea wall in Lowestoft, Suffolk, on Sunday night
A huge rescue effort was mounted to try and save her, but it is believed she had become trapped between the rocks and reportedly drowned
Saffron Cole-Nottage, 32, drowned after slipping and being trapped between rocks on a Suffolk beach on Sunday
Floral tributes on on Lowestoft seafront near where Saffron Cole-Nottage died
Heartbreaking tributes left for young mother on the seafront. Saffron had only given months to a baby boy months before the incident
Locals said there are no entry signs where the young mother was allegedly walking was off-limits to pedestrians (pictured: Off-limit signs)
It is believed she recently moved to Lowestoft, where her stepmother, Patricia Cole, lives. Ms Cole was too upset to speak when approached by MailOnline today.
Locals told MailOnline that the area where Saffron was apparently walking is off-limits to pedestrians.
They also said there are no entry signs at either end of the beach warning people not to walk there.
As well as the slippery granite rocks, the concrete surface is also mossy – which on Sunday night could have also been icy.
‘It’s like an ice rink down there,’ one local man told MailOnline while looking down at the scene of the tragedy.
‘A long time ago, the ledge did used to be a path, but the tide comes in much further these days than it used to and with the boulders which have been placed there against coastal erosion, it’s not somewhere you would feel safe.’
The 65-year-old, who asked not to be named, added: ‘There are signs at either end, and an actual barrier on the southern approach, but it’s possible the young lady didn’t see them if she came from the north.
‘It’s an awful thing to happen, I feel so sorry for her young children.’
The 32-year-old was described as as ‘beautiful’ and told she would be ‘forever missed’ in tributes
The seafront rocks in Lowesoft, where emergency crews rushed to but could not save the mother
A friend of Ms Cole-Nottage who asked not to be named said: ‘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.’
Other flowers and heartbreaking tributes were left for the ‘beautiful’ mother near the scene – as grieving loved ones shared how she would be ‘forever missed’.
One touching tribute said: ‘My beautiful mummy, I love you the world.’
An emotional message said: ‘Your lights shined bright down here and you’ll shine bright up there too – forever 32.’
A bouquet left at the scene by Tricia and partner Barry read: ‘Rest in peace beautiful girl. So tragically taken, far too soon.’
Another said: ‘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 massive emergency response focused on The Esplanade area of Lowestoft at about 8pm on Sunday following initial reports that a person had fallen into the sea, as temperatures plunged below freezing.
Police, HM Coastguard rescue officers from Lowestoft, the East of England Ambulance Service and the East Anglian Air Ambulance all responded as the tragedy unfolded.
A man, who did not wish to be named likened the boulders which are also mossy to an ‘ice rink’ (pictured)
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.
‘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.’
