Bride-to-be and friend drown at sea

A bride-to-be drowned with a friend during an early morning swim shortly after celebrating her engagement.

Only hours after this picture was taken Heather Coles and her friend James Ravenscroft went for a swim off the west coast of Ireland. But they got into difficulties and perished.

Miss Coles, 27, had been celebrating her engagement to publishing editor Guillaume Mutsaars with family and friends when the tragedy happened.

The University of East Anglia PhD student went for her swim in Clifden, County Galway, on 5 June with Mr Ravenscroft, 28, near Mr Mutsaars' house.

Two German tourists raised the alarm after finding clothing and a set of car keys on the beach.

Police were called and hours later Miss Coles's body was spotted by a rescue helicopter. Mr Ravenscroft's body has still not been found.

Miss Coles and Mr Mutsaars, who lived together in Maida Vale, met in January at a ski resort in France. They had planned to marry next July.

Describing the tragedy Mr Ravenscroft's partner, Sarah Marshall, 27, of Hackney, said: "There's a long road to the beach and we saw a helicopter and coastguards and joked that we should go and have a look.

"But when I got there I knew something terrible had happened." Miss Marshall and Mr Ravenscroft met while studying at the University of London and were hoping to get married.

A part-time DJ, Mr Ravenscroft had just received an advance for his first book - The Origin Of Words - and was planning to use the money to press his first record. Today Mr Mutsaars paid tribute to his fiancé¥ and Mr Ravenscroft, saying they "lived life to the full". Mr Mutsaars, 39, said: "Heather was the most beautiful and amazing person that I've ever met. It seems inconceivable that she has been taken from us."

Miss Coles's mother Sandra, 55, added: "We had a wonderful relationship with her. She was so lovely." Head coastguard Michael McCormack said Miss Coles's body had been found west of Innisturk island near the County Galway coast, and confirmed the search for Mr Ravenscroft's body continues.