Inquest into death of rugby star who was swept out to sea in Yorkshire begins

David Fell and his teenage son and daughter were caught in a rip current while swimming at Reighton Gap, near Filey, on July 22 last year.

The 55-year-old, from Wigan, was pulled from the water by a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) crew but he was pronounced dead later that day.

The RNLI said the crew were on scene “very quickly”, as they were preparing to take part in an exercise nearby when the emergency call came in, and Mr Well was transferred to paramedics in Filey "at top speed by boat".

The teenagers were rescued by members of the public and taken to hospital for treatment.

An inquest, which will examine the circumstances surrounding his death, will begin in Northallerton today and it is expected to last two days.

The RNLI has issued a number of warnings about dangerous rip tides at Reighton Gap, which is close to the Reighton Sands holiday park, in recent years.

In the summer of 2019, there were seven call-outs to swimmers who had been swept out in just one week.

Mr Fell played rugby union for Orrell Rugby Union Football Club and rugby league professionally for Rochdale Hornets and Salford Red Devils in the 1980s and 90s. He also represented Lancashire at both codes.