Warning after body boarder death

Jamie disappeared in 'crystal clear water' off Abersoch

A coroner has warned of the 'downside' of people enjoying the sea, after hearing how a 17-year-old body boarder was swept away by a powerful tide.

Jamie Barrow, from Mossley, near Manchester, died four days after being pulled from the sea bed off Abersoch, Gwynedd by a surfing instructor.

The inquest at Pwllheli heard how instructor Jonathan Robinson then tried to save Jamie with the kiss of life.

Coroner Dewi Pritchard-Jones recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Jamie had been with a group of friends, and the coroner said they had been enjoying themselves in not particularly deep water before being swept out to sea by the rip tide.

"It's quite clear from the evidence they were in the flow of water and found it difficult to swim against it," the coroner added.

"Somehow Jamie became overwhelmed."

Mr Pritchard-Jones said he would probably encounter young people dying in similar circumstances in future years.

"It's sad to say it's the down side of people enjoying themselves in the sea," he concluded, and went on to say it was impossible to place warning signs everywhere to cover every situation.

The inquest had earlier heard more about the attempts to rescue Jamie, who was a labourer.

After he went missing in the sea, an RAF Sea King rescue helicopter had been diverted to the scene but its winch man could not reach Jamie who was in 10-12ft of water.

So surfing instructor Jonathan Robinson, 27, had dived underwater, pulled him up, and given the kiss of life.

It was believed Jamie had been under water for 15 minutes, and although he was then flown to hospital in Bangor, he died there a few days later.