Brit tourist, 52, & another holidaymaker drown off Costa Blanca beach after diving in sea to save two children

A BRIT holidaymaker and another tourist have died while trying to rescue two children in the sea on a Costa Blanca beach.

The 52-year-old rushed into the water to aid the youngsters, aged six and seven, along with others in Spain.

But the hero holidaymaker ended up losing his life alongside a Polish Good Samaritan aged 46.

Two other people were taken to hospital with breathing difficulties - they are reported to be a woman aged around 20 and a man approximately 22.

It was not immediately clear this afternoon if the Brit, believed to be a tourist, was in any way related to the children.

The double tragedy occurred around midday at La Roqueta beach in Guardamar de Segura south of Alicante.

The beach was being lashed by gusting winds of up to nearly 40mph.

The two men lost their lives just a day after another man, a 68-year-old Israeli national, drowned at the same beach.

The local mayor suspected a full council meeting after being informed about the latest incident.

Up to eight people are said to have tried to aid the stricken youngsters who were rescued unharmed.

A Civil Guard source confirmed one of the dead men was a 52-year-old Brit.

He said: “Two people lost their lives. One was British and the other Polish.

"They were both trying to help two young children who were in difficulties in the sea.

"The sea conditions were pretty bad.”

The lifeguard service at the town centre beach where the three drownings in the last two days have occurred is not yet up and running.

Guardamar del Segura mayor Jose Luis Saez said: “Three deaths from drowning in the last 24 hours at Guardamar’s beaches.

“The prevailing sea conditions are very dangerous, with strong dragging currents making bathing unadvisable.”

He added: “Maximum precaution is needed as the weekend weather is going to be unstable.”

The tragedies in the last 24 hours mean an heartbreaking EIGHT people have now drowned in the province of Alicante, which Guardamar del Segura is part of, in the first seven days of June.

They include a 76-year-old Irishman at a cove called Cala Capitan near the scene of the latest three drownings.

The other drowning victims have included a Belgian pensioner and a Moldovan man.

On Monday three bathers lost their lives, in Calpe, Elche and Orihuela which are all in Alicante province on the Costa Blanca.

Most councils along the coast do not put lifeguards in place on beaches until June 15 which is considered to be the start of the high season.