Man drowns rescuing two children at West Wittering beach Published duration 27 May 2012

image caption The air ambulance was sent to the scene but the man was pronounced dead on the beach

A 25-year-old man has died on a beach in West Sussex after going to the aid of two children in the sea.

The children were playing in a rubber ring at West Wittering beach "some five metres from the shoreline" on Saturday.

A police spokesman said the man managed to get the children to safety "but in doing so put himself in danger which sadly resulted in him drowning".

The identity of the man has not been released, but police said he was not related to the children.

'Mother upset'

A spokesman for the South East Coast Ambulance Service said an air ambulance attended the incident just after midday.

"But sadly despite resuscitation attempts by our own crews and the air ambulance crew the man was pronounced dead at the scene," he said.

Solent Coastguard said it was also called to the beach but was not involved in the rescue.

The spokesman added: "A man was pulled from the water on the West Wittering estate after he had tried to help two children.