A MOTHER died trying to save her two sons from a lethal rip-tide on a holiday beach, an inquest heard.

Alison Tooby, 53, of Wellington, sprang into action after seeing her sons, 11 and 13, get into difficulties while body boarding on September 3 last year.

Classroom assistant Alison ran to help them, but was caught in a strong current at Northcott Mouth in Bude, Cornwall.

Members of the public, aided by RNLI Bude inshore lifeboat, rushed to help and rescued one boy while the other got back to shore by himself.

Alison was found face down in the water, and after resuscitation attempts failed she was airlifted to hospital, but was later pronounced dead.

The inquest in Barnstaple last week heard how summer lifeguard cover ended a day before the tragedy.

In a statement, witness Rosalind Arthur said: “I saw a head bobbing in the waves. I heard a scream from the woman. She screamed ‘help me’.

“I realised something terrible was happening. I then became aware of a young boy standing on the beach.”

Martin Fry, lifeguard supervisor for the RNLI, told the court it took him around three minutes to get to the beach in a 4x4 after he spotted the trio.

He said: “I saw a man bare-chested in the water. I went straight in and could see two people in the water’s edge 80m from shore clinging to a body board.

“I paddled to her, pulled her from the water and turned her to face me, but she was unresponsive.”

Alison’s partner, Mike McGuffie, told the court: “I’d like to thank everybody who helped, especially the people who went into the water.”

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Coroner John Tomalin described the incident as a “tragedy”.

He said: “I’m sure, as a parent would, she tried to help her children in difficult, dangerous conditions.

“It’s a reminder to all of us about the beaches in the South-West – we must respect the sea and take care.”