A south Wales man drowned when he was swept into the sea by a freak wave in the early hours of Christmas morning.

Philip Stubbs, 24, was struck by a 40ft high wave which knocked him off the promenade at New Brighton on Merseyside shortly before 1am.

Mr Stubbs, who lived in Cardiff, was visiting relatives in Wallasey when the tragedy happened.

Helicopters and lifeboats were scrambled but storm force winds made conditions difficult and Mr Stubbs was found unconscious after an hour-long search.

Second man saved

Lifeboatmen had to power the rescue boat directly up a landing strip to deliver him to a waiting ambulance but he was later pronounced dead in hospital.

A second man hit by the same wave was dragged from the water by a doorman from nearby Chelsea 2000 nightclub.

Liverpool Coastguard watch manager Ged Lynch paid tribute to the rescue crews and the "quick-thinking" of the doorman.

Said Mr Lynch: "Conditions were absolutely appalling with winds of gale force nine and storm force ten.

"Waves hitting the promenade were 30 or 40 feet high and it seems one of them just came over and carried these two men away.

"Rescue crews were immediately sent out but even the helicopters were having trouble taking off because the winds were so strong.

Sympathy

"The crews were risking their necks going out in conditions like that and it is a tribute to their skill that they managed to find Mr Stubbs.

"Unfortunately, he was unconscious when they found him and efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

Mr Lynch added: "It is always tragic when a young person dies but for it to happen on Christmas day makes it even worse and our sympathies go to his family.

"But it is worth remembering that this could have been a double tragedy had it not been for the doorman who pulled the second man out of the water.

"His quick-thinking almost certainly saved the man's life and our thanks go to him."