Young girl dies after being recovered from sea at Durdle Door

A five-year-old girl has died after being recovered from the sea at Durdle Door in Dorset.

HM Coastguard received reports a woman and the girl were in distress in the water at around 11.30am on Wednesday 18 April.

The girl, from Salisbury, was pulled from the sea by a safety vessel, which was nearby, before being taken by ambulance to Dorset County Hospital.

Detective Inspector Steve May, of Dorset Police, said: "Our thoughts are with the family of the young girl involved at this very difficult time.

"At this time there is nothing to suggest this was anything other than atragic accident however, with the sudden death of any child we have anobligation to carry out an investigation to establish the full circumstances ofwhat happened.

"I am appealing to anyone who witnessed how the girl came to be in the water and has not already spoken to police to contact us immediately."