Storm Ellen stops all swimming and surfing off Cornwall coast as rescuer is killed

Police forces have warned holidaymakers not to swim or surf off the Cornwall coast after dangerous conditions saw a man attempting rescue die.

A man in his fifties attempting to rescue his teenage son died after facing difficulty in the sea at Loe Bar near Gunwalloe on The Lizard, at the far tip of Cornwall.

The teenage boy was also taken to hospital but is not thought to be in a life-threatening condition.

PS Dave Pearce, Response Sergeant for the Truro D Section, called on people not to enter the water over the weekend.

He said: "Tragic incident on the Lizard today. Thinking of all those involved.

"No one should be entering the water in the next couple of days.

"The sea conditions coupled with spring tides and high winds make things so dangerous."

Devon and Cornwall Police warned the public to be wary of "storm conditions" across their region, particularly on the coast where waves could reach up to nine feet high.

The force said strong winds could bring "dangerous seas and strong rip currents" and urged beachgoers to check tide times, stick to life-guarded beaches, be aware watersports may be unsafe and avoid storm watching.

The Met Office has also warned campers to be careful in the 70mph winds whipped up by the first named summer storm since naming began.

Met Office meteorologist Emma Salter said it was "unusual" to have such stormy weather this time of year and emphasised its warnings were issued based on the potential impact of conditions.

She said: "There's a lot of holidaymakers out, people in tents, it's the weekend, there's going to be a lot of traffic on the road, a lot of people camping... that's why we've got the warning out."

Meanwhile at Durdle Door in Dorset, beachgoers formed a human chain to rescue a swimmer who was struggling against the mounting tide.

The man, believed to be aged in his 30s, began frantically waving and shouting for help towards sunseekers on the shingle beach.

After a battle of around two minutes, those within the chain were able to reach both casualties and bring them safely back to the beach.

Eye-witness Emily Foote, 27, a teacher from Bridport, said: "Loads of people just sprinted to the sea and formed this chain but they were being battered by the waves too.

"The foam was like a washing machine and at one point I thought we were going to end up with 10 casualties in the sea rather than just one.

"I've never seen the beach like that and full credit has to go to everyone who risked their own lives to save the swimmer."

A Lulworth Coastguard spokesman said: "We were pleased to hear that the rescuer and the casualty were both recovered and were able to walk away.

"With the large waves and spring tides of late, we strongly discourage sea swimming and playing around in the surf, especially on exposed beaches such as Durdle Door.

"The undertow is very powerful and will have no trouble taking you off your feet."