Girl, 5, dies after being swept out to sea at Dorset beauty spot on hottest day of the year

Police are investigating the death of a five-year-old girl, who died after being pulled from the sea at a Dorset beauty spot.

The coastguard was called to reports of a woman and child struggling in water at Durdle Door at around 11.30am on Wednesday, Dorset Police said.

The girl, from Salisbury, was picked up by a Ministry of Defence boat responding to a mayday call, but was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

The woman was rescued from the water by a member of the public, police said.

They added that the child was on a day trip from Salisbury, Wiltshire, on the hottest day of the year so far.

Officers said the death was believed to be a ‘tragic accident’ and appealed for witnesses in the area with video, pictures or information to come forward.

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Detective Inspector Steve May said: ‘Our thoughts are with the family of the young girl involved at this very difficult time.

‘At this time there is nothing to suggest this was anything other than a tragic accident.

‘However, with the sudden death of any child we have an obligation to carry out an investigation to establish the full circumstances of what happened.’