The mother of a five-year-old Pyworthy girl who was swept to her death after slipping into a swollen stream told an inquest of her heartbreak on Wednesday, April 22.

Little Abigail Pattinson was pulled under the "cold, dark" waters of the usually calm River Stratt at Stratton on August 13 last year.

A court at Bodmin heard the river — usually just a few inches deep — was swollen to a "horrendously" fast-flowing river by a midsummer deluge of rain.

Abbey had asked to "go to the swings" before unbolting her own safety seat, jumping out of the family car and, ignoring her mother Adele's cries, chasing the family's three dogs to the banks of the river.

Despite her mother crying out at her "five or six times" to 'hold on,' the little girl rushed down to Howles Bridge beauty spot, where she tumbled into the raging river.

An inquest at Bodmin, heard the Stratt — said to be usually a "trickle" of a stream and spanned by children's rope bridges — had swollen to more than a metre high.

A current described as at least fifteen miles an hour and "faster than a man could run" swept Abbey, dressed in a heavy coat and green wellingtons, under its "cold, dark" waters.

Her mother, seeing her little girl "face down" in the churning brown water, rushed the few yards back to her car to tell her 18-year-old son Edward Davey to call 999.

Helped by motorists parked at Howles Bridge she struggled in vain to spot her daughter again — and the girl was eventually found dead around two hours later, her body snagged under a tree.

Deputy coroner for Cornwall Andrew Cox said: "In truth, I fear Abbey's fate was sealed the moment she fell into the water."

Mrs Pattinson told the inquest how a summer day's trip walking the family dogs had ended in tragedy.

She said: "Abbey was not able to swim. She has slipped off the bridge before: it's a bit slippery over there.

"The dogs leapt out of the boot and ran down to the river. Abbey followed them — she ran quickly to the river.

"I shouted 'Abbey, hold on I haven't got my boots on yet'. I quickly got them on and ran down to Abbey.

"Then I saw her face down in the water and being swept away. The water was very deep and very fast running."

Mrs Pattinson ran the few yards back to her car and asked her teenage son to call police.

'BEST THING IN MY LIFE'

The court heard so strong was the current that emergency services did not

enter the water except with harnesses, and a fireman testified a man could not stand in it.

Mrs Pattinson recalled: "I went back to the river to find Abbey. I could not see her — I cannot swim, but felt if I could see her I could go in there.

"Abbey was the best thing in my life and I am in deep shock — I cannot explain how I will cope without her."

Mrs Pattinson, a housewife and mother of five other children all over 18, said one of her collies, Alfie, went in the stream "all the time", but the court did not hear if any of the family pets had entered the water that day.

She explained: "Abbey usually runs around — I was telling her to wait because it was too rough. I told her about five or six times, but she must have got out of the car and gone to the river.

"I said 'wait because it's too rough for you Abbey.' She heard me but still went down unfortunately.

"I didn't see Abbey go into the water."

Her son Edward told the court: "Abbey said 'shall we go to the swings?" and I said 'no we'll only be here five minutes.'

"I told her to stay in the car because it was wet but Abbey got out of the car and must have gone round the back."

As the drama unfolded Mr Davey searched in tears for his sister, the court heard.

Police called out the coastguard, fire fighters and the ambulance and at one point three helicopters were looking for the little girl.

At around 2.30pm firefighter Nicholas Jones retrieved the little girl's body from a tree fallen across the river, around 800 yards from where she fell in.

He said the current was so strong a man would not have been able to stand up in it and said the river was thick with mud and moving "faster than a man could run."

Coroner Mr Cox, recording a verdict of accidental death, said Abbey had been pulled straight away under the waters.

He said: "Speaking as a parent myself, the loss of a five year old daughter is one that is so appalling, and I would like to express my sincerest condolences to the parents.

"August 13 was a typical day-out, a family trip. The family arrived in the car park and the dogs leapt out of the car, no doubt in a state of excitement.

"Her mum shouted at Abbey to 'hold on' but she did not stop. The River Stratt is normally a quiet stream but on that day the river level was high.

"Abbey fell in. In truth, I fear Abbey's fate was sealed the moment she fell into the water.

"I can all too clearly see how a child might follow an excited dog to a place she knew well. It is just a desperate tragedy that she did so on a day when the river was at its fourth highest that year."

The family did not issue a statement but Mrs Pattinson paid tribute to her daughter saying: "She was a lively, happy, intelligent little girl who had everything to look forward to."