A father from Yorkshire died attempting to rescue his daughter after she was swept into the sea at Fistral Beach in Newquay, an inquest has heard. John Peter Collins, 66, and Samantha Adele Collins, 32, were pulled from the water on 26 July.
Holiday tragedy
Cornwall Coroner's Court heard that the family, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, had been on holiday in the coastal town. Assistant coroner Emma Hillson said: "Samantha Collins was on holiday with her family in Newquay. She and her father were fishing on rocks when Samantha was dragged into the sea.
John tried to save her, but very sadly was unable to so and they both lost their lives."
Identification and post-mortem
The court was told that Adele Collins, wife of Mr Collins and mother of Miss Collins, formally identified their bodies. Post-mortem examinations were carried out at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske on 29 July. Drowning was given as the provisional cause of death for both.
"Given the reported circumstances of the death, and the provisional cause of death, I have reason to suspect the death may be as a result of an unnatural cause," the coroner said. "I am going to adjourn for a provisional full hearing date of July 19 2027 at 10am, with a time estimate of three hours. This will be a joint inquest."
Emergency response
The Truro hearing was told that Mr Collins was married and a retired technical engineer, while his daughter was single. Devon and Cornwall Police previously confirmed that officers were called to Fistral Beach at around 9.45pm on 26 July. Both were pulled from the water, but despite the efforts of emergency services, they were pronounced dead at the scene.
Appeal for belongings
Miss Collins is believed to have entered the water carrying a handbag, described as orange or peach in colour, with a shoulder strap. A police spokeswoman previously stated that it was "thought to contain a number of personal items of great sentimental value to her loved ones".
"At what is an incredibly difficult time for the family, they would take great comfort in being reunited with these belongings if possible," she added. Anyone who discovers a bag matching this description is urged to hand it in at Newquay police station, or contact police quoting incident number 50260197209.
