Callum Andrew Jones, from Wrexham, was pulled from the water and airlifted to hospital, North Wales Police confirmed.

Barmouth RNLI lifeboat station said a second boy was also in the water and both were helped by holidaymakers and treated at the scene by paramedics.

Police said it appeared to be a tragic accident and have appealed for witnesses.

Robert Haworth, spokesman for Barmouth RNLI, said the alert happened at about 1600 BST.

He said the youngster had been on the sandbank in the north of the Mawddach estuary.

He said: "By the time the boat was launched, the child had been brought out of the water by people nearby and taken ashore.

"There were some nurses on the beach. They were holidaymakers. I was told they gave assistance to the child who was airlifted.

"The coxswain [of the lifeboat] told me there was another child in the water. He was brought out just before. He was ashore a little before the other child."

Vigilant

North Wales Police said the boy was taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, by air ambulance but was later pronounced dead.

Sergeant Dave Roberts said an investigation had begun but the incident appeared to be an accident.

He urged extra care and said: "Over the past three days, we have had three incidents involving people in water on the coast."