West Mersea: Dad's drowning death while saving son was accident

David lived with his family in Hertford and worked as a roofer

A dad who drowned while saving his three-year-old boy in the sea died as a result of an accident, a coroner concluded.

David Cole and his son were caught by a rip tide while at a beach in West Mersea, Essex, on 11 June.

The 30-year-old kept his son above the water and saved his life but never regained consciousness himself.

A coroner told a short inquest hearing that Mr Cole became "exhausted" while rescuing his son.

Katie Macdonald described David as an "amazing" dad and a "hero"

Area coroner for Essex, Michelle Brown, sitting at the coroner's court in Chelmsford, was told emergency services attempted resuscitation and administered adrenaline.

Land and air ambulances were called out to Mersea Island to help Mr Cole

His partner Katie Macdonald, who was looking after the couple's one-year-old son on the beach when the tragedy happened, previously described him as a "hero" and the "best dad ever".

Within days of setting up an online fundraising page she raised £3,500 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), which attended the scene, and for Colchester Hospital, where he was treated.

The couple lived together in Hertford, Hertfordshire, and David worked as a roofer.

The RNLI says rip currents can reach up to 5mph (8kmph) and the charity has a series of tips for people wanting to swim in the sea.