Surfer dies off Cornish coast

A man has died after getting into difficulties surfing off Perranporth in Cornwall.

A large scale rescue operation was launched at about 1900 BST on Thursday to recover the man.

Devon and Cornwall Police say the man, who is thought to be in his late 20s, could not be saved.

Falmouth coastguards co-ordinated the operation, involving St Agnes coastguards, Perranporth lifeboat and an RNAS Culdrose rescue helicopter.

Coastguards were alerted when the man got into difficulty off Droskyn Point. The alarm was raised by a friend of the surfer.

The St Agnes Cliff Rescue Team eventually recovered his body from the sea.

It is not clear what happened to the man, but coastguards said sea conditions were difficult at the time of the rescue.