A boy on holiday with his family has drowned after being swept out to sea in Blackpool.
The 14-year-old was swimming with another teenager believed to be his twin brother when he disappeared beneath a strong wave.
The second boy managed to scramble back to shore safely but the drowned youngster, understood to be from Northampton, was found in the water by the coastguard after a three-hour search operation.
The boy was pronounced dead at Blackpool Victoria Hospital after paramedics tried in vain to resuscitate him.
Brian George, a watch officer with Liverpool Coastguard, said the teenager was pulled from the water at around 6.35pm near Central Pier after he was spotted by a member of the public.
Mr George said: "We had several 999 calls from members of the public in Blackpool near Central Pier at about 3.40pm, stating there were two lads in trouble in the water.
"Although the incident happened at Central Pier we conducted a thorough search of the area from North Pier to well south of South Pier, up to a considerable distance off shore."
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