Girl swept to death from beach by freak wave

A “freak wave” swept a five-year-old girl to her death from a Dorset beach, an inquest has heard.

Rose Carter, from Salisbury, Wilts, was with her sister and Sofia Carter, her mother, at Durdle Door beach on April 18 when the youngster was hit by the “8ft wave”.

The Coastguard was alerted and a military vessel helped rescue her, but she was pronounced dead at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Brendan Allen, the coroner, said the cause of death was drowning and added: “It’s not something that could have been foreseen by anyone.”