In the UK, rescuers have failed to find a man who was swept out to sea while scattering his sister's ashes.

The man (51) was last seen at Port William, near Tintagel, on the north Cornwall coast, where he was caught by a large wave.

Two others who were with him at the time went into the sea in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue him.

A search and rescue helicopter was scrambled by Falmouth Coastguard from RAF Chievenor.

Coastguard rescue teams from Boscastle and Port Isaac began a shoreline search, and a request was made to Padstow RNLI Lifeboat to launch.

The search operation was suspended on Saturday evening at around 11pm and resumed at first light on Sunday, the Cornish Guardian reported.

The coastguard has now ended its search.

A spokesperson for the Maritime & Coastguard Agency said “the search, coordinated by Falmouth Coastguard, for the man who was washed into the sea from the north Cornwall coast has now finished, although sadly no sign has been found of him," the Western Daily Press reports.

Originally published at 7.41am