Madalyn Davis death: Police review CCTV footage over Sydney cliff fall Published duration 14 January

image copyright Instagram image caption Madalyn Davis, 21, from Lincoln, had been travelling in Thailand and Bali before heading out to Australia

Police are reviewing CCTV footage to establish how a British woman died falling from a cliff in Australia.

Madalyn Davis, 21, from Lincoln, was fatally injured at Diamond Bay, Sydney, on Sunday. The alarm was raised by a group of people who could not find her after taking photos at the site.

New South Wales (NSW) Police are speaking to the people who were with Ms Davis as part of the investigation.

One friend said they had been "having the time of their lives" in Australia.

Emergency services were called to the scene at about 06:30 local time following reports she had fallen off the cliff in the eastern suburbs of the city.

Her body was retrieved from the water about four hours later.

A police spokeswoman said the body was yet to be formally identified but was believed to be that of Ms Davis. Officers have since spoken to her next of kin.

There were other people with her at the time and officers are trying to establish the cause of the fall, the spokeswoman said.

"She did fall quite a distance and there are jagged rocks at the bottom," she said.

"The cliff area is covered by CCTV and police are speaking with people she was with and other witnesses."

A report will be prepared for the coroner, she added.

image copyright Reuters image caption Warning signs posted by the local authority, Waverley Council, urge people to stay away from the cliff edge at Diamond Bay

Signs warn tourists to stay away from the cliff edge and local mayor Paula Masselos said the height of fences in the area had been increased.

Ms Davis had been in Australia for a number of weeks.

According to her social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, she was a beautician specialising in eyelashes and had been travelling in Thailand and Bali before heading out to Australia.

She had been posting photos online of her work and travels.

image copyright Facebook image caption Ms Davis's former school paid tribute to a "much-liked, popular and well-respected" student

On social media, Ms Davis's mother Rebecca Smith paid tribute to her "one in a million" daughter before hitting out at online trolls.

In one Instagram story post, she described how her daughter was subjected to online trolling and said: "Fill your boots you nasty people, you are the ones that has to sleep with yourselves at night".

"Madalyn was loved, she had integrity and decency," she said.

"She packed more into her short years than we could possibly have hoped for. She was an inspiration to many, including us as her parents.

"If you need to believe otherwise in order to feel better about yourself then that's your pain. I wish you healing to whatever trauma [led] you to behave this way."

In another story post, Ms Smith said: "She always wanted to be famous so thank you trolls you are making this happen..."

Ms Smith said Madalyn's brother, sister and cousins had been so hurt by some of the comments they had started a campaign to challenge government and social media companies to deal with bullying issues "more promptly and effectively".

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help fund the work, she added.

image copyright Facebook image caption Ms Davis was subjected to online trolling, her mother said

Friends also posted tributes online, including Jord Salthouse, who said her death came "as such a shock and heartbreak".

Posting on Facebook, he said: "Less than two hours before this happened we [were] partying and having the time of our lives living our dreams in Australia.

"Honestly Madalyn Davis you will be missed so much you was always the life of any party and could make anyone smile."

Heather Widdup, principal of Retford Oaks Academy where Ms Davis was a former pupil, paid tribute to a "much-liked, popular and well-respected member of the academy community".

"Our deepest condolences go out to Madalyn's family and friends at this very difficult time," she added.

Jane Hopkinson, head teacher of the Priory Academy LSST in Lincoln, where the eyelash technician studied before attending Retford, said the community was "shocked and saddened by such a terrible tragedy".

"All of our thoughts are with her family and loved ones as they try to cope with this heartbreaking news," she said.

image copyright Instagram image caption Ms Davis posted photos of her eyelash work on her Instagram account

Related Topics Lincoln

Australia

Sydney