Drowned father and son identified

Extreme weather conditions caused rough seas

A British man and his five-year-old son who drowned in Spain have been named by government officials.

Symon Howlett, was taking photographs of his two sons, in the town of Tossa de Mar, on the Costa Brava, when a large wave knocked the boys off rocks.

Mr Howlett, 32, of Market Drayton, Shropshire, dived in and saved his son Thomas, 7, but he and younger son, Jay, were swept out to sea.

The pair held on to a buoy but rough seas stopped rescuers reaching them.

A coastguard helicopter and lifeboats were deployed to save Mr Howlett and his son, whose bodies were later pulled from the water 30m (98ft) from the beach, which is just north of Barcelona.

A spokesman for the Spanish coastguard told the BBC the pair had perished close to a cove, which was completely open to the sea and had a strong undertow.

We will all miss Jay. We have lost a happy, lively and bright boy Margaret Malcolm, Jay's head teacher

Mr Howlett's wife, Debbie, saw the tragedy unfold and is being given support by British consular officials.

A police spokesman in Tossa de Mar said: "The mother witnessed the entire scene. She subsequently had a panic attack and was taken to Tossa de Mar's medical centre along with her son, who was treated for hypothermia."

Eye-witness Ezequiel Mizrahi said he had tried to rescue the pair after pulling on his wetsuit.

"These three people, they were taking pictures and a wave took them into the sea," he said.

"I tried to go for them but the sea was very heavy and I couldn't pass through."

Margaret Malcolm, head teacher of Market Drayton Infants School where Jay was a pupil, said: "Everyone here is deeply shocked by this and our thoughts and prayers are with Jay's family.

"We will all miss Jay. We have lost a happy, lively and bright boy."