After a sea tragedy that left a man and woman dead, with a 15-year-old girl still missing, the small East Yorkshire town of Withernsea is a community in mourning. On Monday, flowers were continuing to pile up close to the spot where the victims were swept away.

Dawn breaks on another sub-zero day in this quiet, seaside resort shattered by recent events as a steady trickle of people arrive, carrying flowers and heavy expressions.

On Friday, two people died after being pulled from the water. They were named on Sunday as Sarah Keeling, 45, and Mark Ratcliffe, 67. Sarah’s daughter, Grace, remains missing.

Today, sirens and blue lights have been replaced by silence; the stillness exemplified by a blanket of snow that caps the rocks in front of the town’s promenade.

In front of the castellated entrance to a former pier destroyed by storms and ship collisions in the late 19th Century, is a growing mound of floral tributes.

One card reads: “RIP to the mummy trying to save your little girl. Thoughts and prayers to your family and friends.”

The man who tried to save them both is also honoured.

“Not all super heroes wear capes,” states another note.

Janice Surr adds a bouquet of tulips to the collection.

“It shows that everybody really cares, which is nice,” she says, looking at the other flowers.

Many who are arriving pause to look at the sea, framed between two brick towers. Police tape prevents anyone venturing down the steps on to the beach below, as waves lash the shoreline in the distance.

“It just breaks my heart thinking about it. People are just really sad, they can’t believe it,” Janice adds.

East Riding of Yorkshire councillor Jon Dimberline says: “It’s been a vey dark and grey weekend for the town. The mood is very sombre, very sad.”

Over the weekend, the Reverend Clive Hall, from the town’s St Matthew’s Church, walked along this same spot, offering comforting words and prayers to those who stopped.

As coastguard officials in hi-vis jackets combed the beach below for missing Grace, families – wrapped up in hats and scarves – played in the snow. The contrast not lost on the reverend.

“Withernsea is a fun place,” he says. “It’s a place people come to enjoy themselves, even in winter. It’s a lot smaller and quieter than Bridlington further up the coast.

“We are very close-knit here. But now we have tears and heartbreak. The mood is sombre.”

Hall told how the town’s five churches had come together, with clergy converging on Withernsea Methodist Church, which has become the focus for prayers.

On Sunday, services reflected the town’s loss.

“People are already talking about a special service. That will be something to consider at a later point,” Hall said.

Angie Smith, 51, from Hull, said: “It’s always been a happy little seaside town. What an awful start to the year this is.

“Like us, those people [who died] will have gone to the seaside for a walk and then this happened.”

Darrin Stevens’ photographs showing the initial search and rescue efforts have been widely published.

“The balcony of my home overlooks the sea,” he said. “Within minutes, all I could see was a wall of flashing blue lights.”

Mr Stevens did not see anyone in the water, with the seawall saving him from witnessing the tragedy.

Like Mr Hall, he described a town that supports each other.

“So many people came down on to the promenade on Friday evening,” he said.

“They weren’t there taking pictures for social media; they were there to show support.

“My neighbours brought coffees and teas for the rescuers. People just wanted to help in any way they could. It was remarkable for all the wrong reasons.”

Jason Catlin, 45, who lives opposite the town’s RNLI station, agrees with those sentiments.

“Even though something like this does not directly affect everyone, everyone feels it,” he said.

“It feels really sombre.”

In a statement on Monday, Withernsea’s town mayor, Alexandra Camplin, said the town council extends its “heartfelt condolences to all those affected”.

She said: “The loss of three people to the sea is truly devastating and our thoughts are with the family and friends of Mr Ratcliffe and Mrs and Miss Keeling.

“Everyone in the town and beyond has been touched by this dreadful tragedy. We sincerely hope that Grace is found soon.”