A 15-year-old girl was found dead in a river by fire officers hours after entering the water, an inquest opening has heard. Holli Smallman, from Welshpool, had been playing with friends on the afternoon of Friday, August 9 when she entered the River Severn near the Leighton Arches camping and caravan site near the village of Leighton. Eyewitnesses called Dyfed-Powys Police after Holli entered the water at 4.
40pm that day. A multi-agency effort to find Holli commenced immediately but ended hours later when the teenager was found downriver by specially-trained fire officers. An inquest opening at Pontypridd on Tuesday heard how Holli was identified by her family on Saturday, August 10.
Pathologist Dr Barlow at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital determined that Holli’s medical cause of death needed further investigation. Read more: Body discovered in search for missing 98-year-old man Read more: Children have to live rest of their lives without 'daddy' after brutal attack Area coroner for south Wales central Patricia Morgan told the hearing that she had to adjourn the inquest until a later date for further investigations to take place. She added: “I would like to express my condolences to the family of Holli Smallman during this tragic time.
” In a statement in the days after Holli’s death her family described her as a “loving and caring” girl and said their “hearts and minds” were with Holli's friends who were with her “that tragic day”. In a statement via Dyfed-P.