Walberswick beach kitesurfer 'mourned by hundreds'

The man, in his 50s, was found on the shore at Walberswick, near Southwold, and died despite receiving some medical attention

A kitesurfer found dead on a beach in storm conditions was being mourned by "hundreds and hundreds of devastated people," his friend said.

Nick Stacey said Andy Smith's death had been a "complete shock".

Mr Smith's body was found on the shore off Walberswick in Suffolk by members of the public on Sunday.

Mr Stacey said without Mr Smith's knowledge of kitesurfing "none of us would know the sport that we are doing now".

HM Coastguard, Suffolk Police and the ambulance service attended the scene on Sunday afternoon and provided some medical attention, but Mr Smith could not be saved.

The police are not treating his death as suspicious.

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Mr Stacey, from Framlingham, said: "Any tragedy like this within kitesurfing is always very sad, but knowing it was Andy, at our favourite spot, was just a complete shock."

He said he had known Mr Smith, who had taught him how to kitesurf, for about 12 years.

"I posted on a Facebook page, 'does anybody know anybody that can teach kite surfing in Suffolk? I'm desperate to give it a go' and Andy commented straight away and the rest is history," he said.

"I would say he's probably taught about 80% of people along the Suffolk coast."

Mr Stacey said his friend was an experienced kitesurfer who would go out in strong winds, but whose motto was "safety, safety, safety".

"There are messages all over Facebook, just hundreds and hundreds of people that are devastated," he said.

"There will definitely be a party at Walberswick beach at some point.

"When we can all stand less than two metres away from each other we will be down there and I'm sure it will be a big event."