Man dies 'trying to save his children from sea' near Porthmadog

The man was pulled from the water off the coast of Borth y Gest in Gwynedd

A man has died after getting into difficulty in the sea while reportedly trying to rescue his children.

Eyewitnesses said the man, 45, had been trying to save his daughter, 12, and son, aged six, at Borth y Gest near Porthmadog, Gwynedd on Monday.

Witnesses say the man and his son had got into trouble, and that the boy clung on to his unconscious dad as they were pulled from the sea.

Onlookers had tried to revive the man, who was from Manchester, on the beach.

He was then flown by coastguard helicopter to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, but he died later that night.

• Man airlifted to hospital after rescue near Porthmadog

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said multiple 999 calls were made to the coastguard.

A spokesman added: "The coastguard rescue team and the RNLI inshore lifeboat from Criccieth were sent, along with the HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Caernarfon, North Wales Police and ambulance service.

"The man was recovered from the water by members of the public before being transferred by helicopter to Ysbyty Gwynedd."