Lifesaver's leap into stormy seas

A volunteer coastguard has described how he took the decision to leap into rough seas to save a holidaymaker.

Rob Jones was called to Cemaes Bay on Anglesey on Saturday after two men were seen struggling in the water.

Despite gale force winds along the Anglesey coast, the coastguard managed to pull the 24-year-old to safety.

However, attempts to save the man's friend by lifeboat crews and an RAF helicopter failed and the 22-year-old died in hospital.

Villagers have praised the actions of the coastguard, describing him as a hero.

But Mr Jones remained modest about his actions: "It's just human nature. I joined the coastguard to help out, so hopefully I was just doing my job."

The two men, both from Wirral in Merseyside, had been staying at a nearby campsite when they somehow managed to fall from rocks on the headlands that surround Cemaes Bay.

I joined the coastguard to help out, so hopefully I was just doing my job Coastguard, Rob Jones

Members of the public alerted Holyhead Coastguard that people were in difficulty in the water at 2144 BST on Saturday evening.

Two volunteers from the Cemaes Bay coastguard rescue team were first on the scene, including Rob Jones.

He spotted one of the casualties calling for help around 100m (328ft) from the shore and stripped down and dived into the sea.

"There was no other way to get him, so I decided to go in," explained Mr Jones.

"He was close enough and I knew I'd be able to swim to him and get him to safety.

"Otherwise he probably wouldn't have made it - he'd been in the water for some time."

The rescuer managed to drag the man onto a rock outcrop to wait for a team from the Moelfre RNLI lifeboat to pick them up.

An investigation into how the two men came to be in the water is continuing.

North Wales Police say the dead man's family have been informed, but the incident is not being treated as suspicious.

The survivor is said to be recovering well at hospital in Bangor. Neither men have yet been named.

Anyone with information is asked to contact North Wales Police on 0845 607 1002 (English service) or 0845 607 1001 (Welsh service).