Grandmother Drowns at the Quay

Terribly sad news as a pensioner drowns at the Quay, Exeter.

news quay

An 80 year old widow has drowned after her walking stick snapped and she subsequently fell into the quay at Exeter.

Dorothy Stevens fell into the water – in front of her inconsolable daughter and grand-daughter.

She was only in the water for a couple of minutes, and several people dived in after her in attempts to save her. Despite their best efforts, it was impossible to revive her.

Dorothy had been travelling across the quay on the Butt’s Ferry, a very popular boat that costs just 20p to travel the short distance across the River Exe. The boat is particularly popular with both students and locals alike, and Dorothy’s death is an extremely sad event that will touch all of Exeter.

Gillian Phillips told the inquest that her mother suffered from arthritis, which affected her grip. Melissa Phillips, 19, said her grandmother "struggled to bend her knee to get up the bottom step, and lost her grip on the handrail." She plunged into the water and could not swim.

An inquest at Exeter’s County Hall returned a verdict of accidental death.