Rescued boy watched mother drown

Miss Drennan drowned after a current pulled her boat into a sluice

A young boy saw his 30-year-old mother drown after he was rescued from a river, an inquest has heard.

Teacher Amie Rae Drennan died after her boat overturned on the River Waveney, near Ditchingham, on the border of Norfolk and Suffolk in August 2007.

Her son, Tor, now aged nine, was rescued from the water but attempts to save his mother failed.

The inquest found the death had been accidental. It heard no life-saving equipment was available at the scene.

Miss Drennan, of Carlton Colville, Suffolk, and her son had been on a short trip along the river on the afternoon of 25 August with her boyfriend Christopher Thrower, 31, his brother Mark, 33, and Andrew Dack.

The 30-year-old played penny whistle in a Lowestoft band

The boat capsized after being pulled into a sluice by a strong current.

Mr Thrower, who helped save Tor before being pulled from the water by a passer-by, told the inquest there were no life belts alongside the river.

He said: "It's a popular swimming area, which is why I'm surprised there isn't any life-saving equipment. There is now."

Peter Atkinson, representing the Environment Agency, which manages the waterway, said there was a sign warning of strong currents at the scene of the accident.

The hearing was told the party had not seen this before entering the water.