Croyde beach incident: Kent man dies after tragic incident on North Devon beach

A holiday-maker has died following a medical episode which happened while he was swimming on a Devon beach.

RNLI lifeguards gave CPR to the man at the edge of the water in Croyde yesterday afternoon (5 July).

Shortly after an air ambulance landed on the beach during the incident. Coastguards, paramedics and police also attended.

Devon and Cornwall Police said they were called by lifeguards at around 1.40pm.

"It is believed that the man, a person in his 70s from the Kent area, suffered a medical episode whilst in the water," a police spokesperson said.

"He was evacuated from the area but later declared deceased. His next of kin has been informed and this death is not being treated as suspicious."

Croyde RNLI Lifeguards, coastguard rescue teams from Croyde, IIfracombe and Mortehow, Devon and Cornwall Police, South West Ambulance Service and an air ambulance all attended the incident.

One family praised the emergency services, saying: "So many people worked so hard. It was a serious incident at Croyde beach with the RNLI lifeguards, then paramedics, police, air ambulance and coastguard. The helicopter landed.

"There were eight police, four paramedics, three coastguard vans and coastguards on call."