Kent boy, 9, dies after being rescued from the sea in Dymchurch

Lifeboat crews said a 'brave' man who pulled the boy from the water had to be saved himself

FILE: The beach at Dymchurch, Kent (Stacey Harris/CC)

A nine-year-old boy has died after he fell into the sea among rocks at Dymchurch, in Kent.

Lifeboat crews and paramedics were called to the scene near the Dymchurch Martello Tower following reports of people in the water.

The boy was treated at the shore after being pulled from the water by a member of the public, who himself had to be rescued by volunteer lifeguards.

According to Kent Online, the boy was taken to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford by ambulance but died last night.

Lifeboat crews praised the bravery of the man who pulled the boy from the water. Local media quoted coastguard sources as saying he was thought to be the boy's father, though this is unconfirmed, and other reports suggested the man was a stranger passing by.

RNLI Littlestone's Matt Crittenden said the swell appeared to have lifted the boy off the rocks.

When emergency workers arrived, he said. "the [man] was stuck on the rocks and was taking quite a pounding". "He was absolutely exhausted and was clinging on to the rocks. He is a brave man."

In a Facebook post, lifeboat crew volunteers described the man as "a passer by who had entered the water to aid the other casualty".

Charlie Davies, operations manager of the Littlestone RNLI station, told the Guardian it was the worst tragedy his team had dealt with in more than 20 years.

He said the passer-by, who suffered cuts and bruises, was "shaken up" by the incident but refused to be taken to hospital. Davies said it remained unclear how the boy had got in trouble in the water.