The 46-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene at 0130 BST at Berry Head, Brixham.

He jumped off the roof of a building near a disused quarry in what appears to have been a stunt which went wrong.

Police say the man had been drinking with friends before he jumped. He was from Mid Glamorgan and was visiting Brixham on a fishing holiday.

Two anglers, one of whom could not swim, went into the water to rescue the unconscious man.

'Quite tragic'

The emergency services were called to the scene and attempts were made to revive the man, but he was pronounced dead.

Les Jenkin from Brixham Coastguard said: "It is a great danger and goes on year after year despite all our warnings.

"This is a needless accident and quite tragic for the family involved."

A 23-year-old man died while jumping at Ansteys Cove, south Devon, in June, 2005.

The following month an 18-year-old man suffered head injuries following the craze - which is called tombstoning - near Porthleven, Cornwall. And in August that year a 21-year-old Australian bodyboarder broke both legs tombstoning near Porthleven.