Anthony Gilby lost his life despite a huge rescue operation he went into rough waters off Hendon Promenade, Sunderland.

The 36-year-old was with his partner, Kath Robinson, and her 16-year-old son Jordan, one of Anthony's three step-children, when he was knocked over by a wave.

As he tried to get up, a bigger wave washed him off his feet. He was unable to get back onto the ramp, as there were no rails to grab on to.

Anthony's distraught family tried in vain to grab him, but they say they were hindered by the lack of lifebelts on the promenade to pull him free.

"We stretched out our hands and tried to grab him," said Kath, 39, from St Leonard Street.

"He was only a couple of inches away, but our arms weren't long enough and we just couldn't reach him."

Kath and Anthony – who also leaves his mam Lavinia, step-dad Alfred and brother Paul – had been together for 12 years.

"Meeting him was the best thing ever in my life," she said through floods of tears.

"I loved him to bits. I just want him back."

Lavinia, from Hastings Street, said she saw Anthony at Hendon beach on Monday afternoon, just hours before the tragedy.

"He said he was going to the shops on Villette Road before going home.

"We saw the helicopters later and knew something had happened, but we never thought it could be him as we thought he had gone home."

Anthony's family criticised police who arrived on the scene for not doing more to help him.

"They just stood there," said Kath. "We tried to save him, so why couldn't they?"

Inspector Jackie Clarke, of Sunderland Area Command, said risks to officers' safety must be measured against their chances of successfully helping others.

"When officers arrived at the promenade at Hendon, the sea was very rough, with large crashing waves. The area is also notorious for its strong undercurrents and large rocks.

"In this case it was correctly deemed unsafe for the officers to enter the sea given the extremely treacherous conditions."

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