FRIENDS have told an inquest how they tried desperately to cling on to the hands of a young father who was swept to his death off Blackpool promenade.

Engineer Paul Hill, 28, was drowned in the early hours of October 10, following a night out with friends.

After coming out of Blackpool's Federation nightclub, Paul and his friend Lee Willcox, 21, walked down on to the sea wall steps as waves crashed on to the promenade.

Paul, of Prospect Road, Rawtenstall, whose girlfriend had given birth to their first child only two months earlier, and Lee took their shirts off.

In a statement read out to the inquest, Lee, of Shawfield, Rawtenstall, told how a huge wave engulfed them and swept them out to sea.

He said: "The waves kept on pushing us in towards the steps and out again and then I managed to grab hold of a metal railing."

Another friend, Stuart Birch, 20, of Cherry Crescent, Rawtenstall, then appeared at the top of the stairs and both Stuart and Lee tried to pull Paul to safety. Lee said: "I held on to him for as long as I could but another wave crashed over us and broke my grip. It pulled Paul away and he immediately disappeared from view."

A week later Paul's body was found lying face up in the water by a beach patrol officer in the sea opposite Yates's Wine Lodge, South Promenade.

A post mortem examination revealed that Paul's blood contained three times the legal driving limit of alcohol.

Paul had no major external or internal injuries and the cause of death was given as drowning.

In a statement read out at the inquest, Stuart said how foolish it had been to walk on to the sea wall steps.

He said: "This was a stupid thing that happened and it could have happened to anyone in a high-spirited mood."

Deputy Fylde Coroner Anne Hind, said that Stuart's words were "absolutely true."

Recording a verdict of death by misadventure, she said: "Paul and lee, attracted by the waves and spray crashing on the sea wall, decided to have a closer look.

"It was a decision which was to have very far reaching consequences for Paul Hill."

Mrs Hind said that Paul and Lee had decided to go down into the sea in a "moment of madness."

She added: "It is a terrible tragedy for Paul's family. An eight-week-old girl will now grow up without ever knowing her father."

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