Girlfriend's emotional tribute to 'soul mate' Ben Witts after kitesurfer dies in Devon beach tragedy

Ben Witts was named locally as the kitesurfer who died in Saunton

A kitesurfer who died after an incident on a North Devon beach has been locally named as Ben Witts.

Ben was rescued from Saunton Sands after coastguards were alerted at around 11am on Saturday, February 9.

Devon Air Ambulance airlifted Ben to North Devon District Hospital, where he later died.

He was an experienced kitesurfing instructor and owned North Devon Kitesurfing School.

Saunton is a popular beach for watersports year round. Credit: PA

According to its website, he was inspired by his family as a child. They ran their own outdoor activity centre which specialised in kayaking and cycling endurance events.

As well as aspiring to build on the success of his school, Ben wrote his ambition was to be 'more involved in environmental concerns affecting the local area and beyond.'

Tributes have been paid to the kitesurfer on social media, including from his girlfriend Cheylee Howson.

In an emotional post on Facebook, Ms Howson said she did everything she could to pull Ben out of the water and help him before paramedics arrived.

She wrote: "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to the amazing people on Saunton beach who rushed to help me."