Missing guide 'a natural leader'

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Mr Foxcroft was an experienced expedition leader

An expedition leader who was swept out to sea in South Africa trying to help a group of youths in difficulty was a natural leader, his brother says.

Sean Foxcroft, 24, from Bury, Greater Manchester, disappeared after diving into the water in St Lucia, north of Durban, on 27 July.

A major sea, air and land search failed to find him and authorities say he is presumed drowned.

His brother Heath said: "He wouldn't have thought twice about doing it."

Mr Foxcroft had been leading a group of 15 students from a school in Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, on a World Challenge trekking trip.

The pupils, who were aged between 16 and 18, had gone into the water to cool off after a game of rugby but were overcome by the powerful surf.

The group and another leader made it out of the water safely, but Mr Foxcroft was overcome and swept out to sea.

Realistically, if I'm being honest, I've probably begun to accept that we are not going to see him alive again Heath Foxcroft

Heath Foxcroft, who has just returned from St Lucia with his family, told the BBC: "From the stories we've heard from the beach, a wave crashed over him and that's the last that was seen of him."

Mr Foxcroft said his brother was a "natural leader" - a description echoed by friends from around the world who have contacted the family.

"I wish on a selfish note that he'd not done what he has done but I'm phenomenally proud of him.

"I've always been proud of him as a brother, and as a friend too. But he wouldn't have had a choice.

"One thing we said when we were in St Lucia is that if he'd not gone in - or if he'd gone in and got himself out but one of the children hadn't - he probably wouldn't have been able to live with himself."

'Scaled-down' search

Mr Foxcroft confirmed official searches were still continuing for his brother, but that his family were facing up to the worst.

"Realistically, if I'm being honest, I've probably begun to accept that we are not going to see him alive again. I'd love for him to walk through the door now, but I don't know."

Last week, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said a "scaled-down" search effort was continuing.

The South African authorities said he was "presumed to have drowned".