'No warning' at mudflats, inquest told

A man who watched helplessly as his partner's daughter drowned while trapped in mudflats insisted yesterday there had been no warning signs.

Lelaina Hall, a "kind, fun-loving" five-year-old, sank into mud and was overwhelmed by the incoming tide.

An inquest into her death heard yesterday that her mother, Caroline Hall, called for help while her partner Laurence Boyle tried to reach Lelaina when they realised she was in trouble. Mr Boyle struggled against thigh-high mud but never managed to get within more than 200 yards of Lelaina. Mrs Hall, of Worcester, was forced to watch as her daughter became trapped.

"To me it looked like she had fallen over and I knew in my gut from that moment on that I had lost my little girl," she said.

The Taunton inquest heard that Lelaina had gone to Berrow beach near Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, on 23 June this year with her mother, Mr Boyle and his two young children, while on holiday.

After Lelaina got stuck a coastguard mud rescue team called in a helicopter from RAF Chivenor and the five-year-old was later spotted face down. All attempts to resuscitate her failed and she died at Weston General Hospital.

Mr Boyle, of Kidderminster, told the inquest he could not recall seeing any warning signs while Detective Sergeant Jerry Wallis said notices appeared to be aimed at motorists.

John Blake, corporate director of Sedgemoor District Council, said large signs reading: "Beware of soft sand. Vehicles are driven on to the beach at the owner's risk" were in place and leaflets had been distributed. But the council was now taking a more "proactive" stance since Lelaina's death. The inquest continues.