The mother of a 12-year-old from High Wycombe who drowned at Bournemouth beach said her daughter 'shouted for help' shortly before her tragic death.

Sunnah Khan passed away following an incident in the water near Bournemouth Pier on May 31, which an inquest "suggested" was caused by a riptide close to the popular beach. 

Her mother, Stephanie Williams, appeared on Good Morning Britain yesterday (June 21) to remember Sunnah's final moments and caution others about the dangers of sea swimming.

Although Stephanie was not on the beach with her daughter when the incident occurred, her son had told her that both he and Sunnah were in the sea when they "ended up where they couldn't touch the bottom".

"A wave came over them and they started to shout for help. A lifeguard pulled my son from the water but they weren't able to locate Sunnah. She was washed out.

"They had started to try and make their way back (to shore), but they couldn't."

Stephanie previously told the Bucks Free Press that she believed it was important to spread awareness about the dangers of swimming in the sea following the loss of her "lovely" daughter. 

She said: "It shouldn't have happened. People need to be very aware of how dangerous the sea can be, even when you're on a beach with lifeguards.

"It's such an awful way to lose somebody's life because drowning is a really terrifying and painful experience."

Stephanie also paid tribute to her daughter's character, describing her as "a lovely baby and toddler who was growing into a really funny and happy young woman".

An inquest held in Bournemouth following the deaths of Sunnah and Joe Abbess, 17, from Southampton, heard "suggestion" that they drowned after becoming caught in a riptide.

A man in his 40s was arrested following the incident but was later released under investigation and police also seized a pleasure vessel, the Dorset Belle, in connection with the two deaths.

Dorset Police told the Daily Mail yesterday that their investigation is ongoing.