Rescue widow's tribute

Mr Beatwell drowned while trying to save a seven-year-old from the sea

The wife of a man who died trying to save the life of a seven-year-old boy has said her husband would not want to be thought of as a hero.

Mike Beatwell, 35, died after helping to rescue Jack Shelton who was blown out to sea while playing with his 11-year-old sister on holiday in Dorset.

The youngster, from Stroud, Gloucestershire, died at the Bristol Children's Hospital on Monday night.

He had been in a critical condition in hospital since the incident, which happened on Thursday at Chesil Beach, Burton Bradstock.

Mr Beatwell, of Poulton-le-Fylde, near Blackpool, Lancashire, plunged in fully-clothed to help save Jack but got into difficulties and drowned.

Jack Shelton died five days after being pulled from the sea

His wife Sue said: "He would not want to be thought of as a hero.

"He loved his family so much, there is no way he would have gone into that water if he thought he was not coming back.

"He was not a strong swimmer and he knew his limitations.

"We are still not sure exactly what happened, the police are investigating."

It is hard to come to terms with - it still feels like it is happening to someone else Sue Beatwell

Mr Beatwell was married to his second wife Sue and had a daughter from his first marriage, Amy, and two step daughters, Rachel and Fiona.

His attempt to save Jack happened while he was enjoying a family holiday.

Mrs Beatwell described how she did not know about her husband's actions at first.

She said: "When we got to the beach there was a crowd watching what was happening.

Winched from sea

"I couldn't see Mike anywhere, so we went back to the tent to look for him.

"He wasn't there so we went back to the beach.

"We saw them winching somebody out of the sea, but had no idea that it was him.

"It was only later when the crowd had broken up and we still could not find him that it dawned on me he might have gone in the water."

Mrs Beatwell was later informed that it was her husband.

She said: "It was just awful. It is hard to come to terms with. It still feels like it is happening to someone else."