A father and daughter drowned after being pulled into the sea off a beach in Cornwall, an inquest has heard. John Peter Collins, 66, and his daughter Samantha Adele Collins, 32, were found lifeless in the water at Fistral Beach in Newquay on the evening of July 26. The family, originally from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, had been on holiday in the seaside town at the time.

According to assistant coroner Emma Hillson, the pair had been fishing on the rocks when Samantha was swept into the sea by strong currents. John attempted to rescue her but was unable to save either of them. Both were recovered by emergency services and pronounced dead at the scene.

Adele Collins, John’s wife and Samantha’s mother, identified their bodies during the inquest proceedings. Postmortem examinations conducted at Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske on July 29 determined drowning as the provisional cause of death for both.

Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that officers received the emergency call around 9:45 p.m. on July 26. The police also noted that Samantha entered the water carrying a handbag described as orange or peach in color. The bag is believed to contain personal items of significant sentimental value to the family.

Authorities have appealed to the public for assistance in locating the handbag. A police spokesperson said that recovering the belongings would bring comfort to the family during an extremely difficult time. Anyone who finds a bag matching the description is urged to contact Newquay police station.