Tributes paid at church after sea tragedy

Dozens of people have visited a church in Nottinghamshire to pay tribute to a mother and daughter who were swept away at a seaside resort.

Grace Keeling, 15, from Nottinghamshire, has been missing since Friday 2 January, after being swept away by heavy seas at Withernsea, East Yorkshire.

Her mother Sarah Keeling, 45, was found dead later on Friday evening, while Mark Ratcliffe, 67, who attempted to save the pair, also died.

St Mary Magdalene Church, in Sutton-in-Ashfield, opened on Saturday for residents to light candles, say prayers and leave messages of condolence.

The church, in Church Avenue, opened to the public for the remembrance event between 10:00 and 16:00 GMT.

Claire Hickton, from the 4th Sutton-in-Ashfield Brownies, was among those who paid tribute to Grace, who was a young leader in the Brownies.

"I will remember her smile and her energy," she said.

"She was infectious with the girls, they absolutely loved her," she added.

"I just hope she can be found, so she can be reunited with her mum and there's closure for her dad and the rest of the family."

Nick Tennant, 67, from Kimberley, in Nottinghamshire, said he used to love going out for runs with his former colleague Sarah.

"I used to go running with her, it was an amazing time, because she was great to run with and even taught me how to run uphill," said Tennant.

"She was lovely as a person. When people talk about her, I always think 'I know exactly what you mean, she just lit up the room'.

"It is so sad, somebody so young and with so much to live for, it really has affected me quite a lot."

Rev Julie Cotterill, vicar for the church's parish, said the community was "absolutely devastated" by the tragedy.

She said: "Like so many other people, I was really shocked at hearing the news, and really saddened by the tragedy. They have very much been a part of my prayers.

"Everyone in the community is absolutely devastated and deeply affected by what has happened. It's hard to come to terms with when you hear something like that.

"There's been so many messages though of love and support for their families and all our hearts go out to them."

Earlier this week, Tim Paling, head teacher at Quarrydale Academy in Sutton-in-Ashfield, where Grace went to school, wrote to the community over the "tragic loss".

He said Grace made "a lasting impression" and it was an honour to have her at Quarrydale.

On Friday, Humberside Police said officers were continuing to search for Grace along the Withernsea shoreline.

The force said its underwater search unit had been deployed and officers had consulted with an oceanographer as part of the investigation.

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