Kayaker died after being taken out despite gusts warning

Mr Sawyer, from Birmingham, died in March 2015 while he was in Cyprus. Credit: BPM Media

A novice kayaker died after being taken out by an experienced instructor despite a gusts warning, an inquest has heard.

Jamie Lee Swayer was posted to Cyprus in March 2015 and paddled off a headland as part of a supervised group when he disappeared.

Today an inquest at Birmingham Coroner's Court heard an emergency weather warning of thunderstorms in the area had not been passed on to those running the group.

But David Hughes - the man who took the group out - had known the general weather forecast predicted gusting winds. The rough seas had already caused another kayaker to capsize twice.

Mr Hughes told how he initially put off ringing the coastguard because as he paddled for shore, he thought he saw Mr Sawyer with the rest of his group.

He said that on closer inspection, Mr Sawyer was not among the group and he paddled back to the headland, but after a while he was so exhausted he had to turn back.

He then received a phone call as he searched the headland on foot to say that 20-year-old Mr Sawyer was on his way to hospital.

The inquest finishes on Wednesday.