Man drowned as family looked on, inquest hears

A man drowned after being hit by a large wave as his family looked on from the shore, an inquest has heard.

Simon Lightbody, 48, from Reigate in Surrey, was pulled from the water by emergency services at Blackpool Sands near Dartmouth in Devon on Monday afternoon after going for a swim.

An inquest into his death was opened at Devon Coroner's Court on Thursday and heard his cause of death had been given as drowning.

The hearing was told Lightbody, who was born in Northern Ireland, was "hit by a large wave" and could not be seen in the water by his watching family.

Emergency services were called and a lifeboat recovered his body from the water, the inquest heard.

Devon coroner's court adjourned the hearing for a full inquest.

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