A grieving mother has paid tribute to her 'precious' daughter and the 'loved' father to her children who died after being swept out to sea at Mullion earlier this month.

Matthew Philip Smith, aged 47, and 26-year-old Bonnie Marie Smith were both washed from the harbour wall by a giant wave during the early evening of Monday, November 2.

They were airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro by the coastguard helicopter, following a major rescue attempt involving coastguards and two lifeboats, but were sadly confirmed to have died later that evening.

Posting on Facebook two days after the tragedy, Bonnie's mother Theresa paid tribute to her "beautiful and precious baby girl" in a moving Facebook post.

"Me and my boys need time to come to terms with the tragic events of Monday evening when my baby girl was taken away from us," she wrote.

"Whoever had the privilege to know my boo would know how beautiful and precious she really is and always will be, and will be forever in our hearts.

"My two boys have been so strong and amazing, not only have they lost their sister, they have lost their dad. So please give them the space they need."

It was reported at the time that Mr Smith and Miss Smith had only just arrived in Mullion that day, on holiday from Abbeydale in Gloucester, along with Mr Smith's two grown up sons.

An inquest has now been opened into their deaths, with the full hearing to take place at a later date.

A 999 call was first received at around 6.45pm on Monday on that date, to say that a man and woman had been taken by a wave from the harbour wall. It is understood that the family had been with their dog at the harbour when the wave came in.

The incredible efforts of the emergency services were later praised by onlookers, who described "horrendous" conditions and waves being metres high.