A British surfer has broken his back in a wipeout as he tackled one of the world's biggest waves.

Andrew Cotton, 36, suffered the worst injury of his professional career in the mountainous seas off Nazare in Portugal, where waves can reach almost 80ft.

The big wave surfer was thrown from his board and slammed back-first into the water at high speed.

He is now recovering in a Portuguese hospital and already planning his return to the region after being given a good prognosis by doctors.

Posting a video on Instagram of the wipeout as he attempted to surf the wave estimated to have been 50ft high, Mr Cotton wrote: "What can I say, I got a little excited this morning and ending up having possibly the worst wipe-out impact wise of my life.