Two men in their 20s die after being pulled from the sea

Two men aged in their 20s have died after being rescued from the water off the coast of Torbay, police have said.

Devon and Cornwall officers were called to assist the Coastguard at around 9am on Saturday following reports of concern for two people in the water at Oddicombe.

Following an emergency rescue operation, the men were pulled from the water, but one was declared dead at the scene.

The second man died after being taken to Torbay District Hospital.

Police said their next of kin have been informed, and inquiries continue while a file is prepared for the coroner.

The operation involved the Coastguard rescue team from Torbay and the RNLI's inshore lifeboat from Teignmouth and Dawlish.

The Devon Air Ambulance was despatched, and Devon and Cornwall Police and the South Western Ambulance Service were also involved.

The rescue effort centred around Oddicombe beach and a stone jetty that protrudes into the sea.

It is unclear whether the men had been swimming or jumping into the water at the time of the incident. The Telegraph understands no boat was involved.

The beach is tucked away at the bottom of sandstone cliffs and a large wooded area and is not one of the area's busiest beaches.

After a spate of recent water-related deaths around the country, Devon and Cornwall Police urged people to take extra care around water over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Their deaths follow two other tragedies in the past week. A week earlier a man in his 70s died when his 20-foot boat sank while fishing eight miles off the coast of Torquay.

A second man was picked up and survived after the boat began taking in water and suddenly sank in calm seas.

And a man died after falling from cliffs at Budleigh Salterton, Devon, on Thursday. His death is not being treated as suspicious.