A man from Blackpool lost his life after drowning in the Irish Sea in an attempt to save his girlfriend who was already in the water.
Alex Gibson had been on a night out with friends in Blackpool on Thursday July 29 last year.
He spent some time with his girlfriend on the evening but the pair separated when she went to Sapphires nightclub in the resort.
In the early hours of Friday morning, Alex's girlfriend called him from the North Pier and told him she 'didn't want to live anymore'.
Alex, 22, raced to the seafront and went into the water to try and help her despite not being able to swim.
Alex Gibson, 22, from Blackpool drowned after a night out, having gone into the Irish sea to help his girlfriend who was in a state of distress, an inquest heard today
An inquest at Blackpool Town Hall today heard that she got out and went for help but Alex was then found face down in the water less than an hour later.
Alex had met his girlfriend while working at C Fresh Fish and Chips in Foxhall Road.
Speaking at today's inquest, she said: 'We were near the steps [to the right of the pier].
'We were both in the water together. I was trying to help Alex because he couldn't swim.
'We were hanging on to each other trying to keep each other afloat.
'I realised that the only way we were both getting out was if someone got help so I told him that I was going to get out and get help.
'It took me a while to swim back because the current was really strong.'
After she managed to get out of the water she shouted back to Alex 'to tell him it would be okay'.
'He was just trying to stay afloat,' she said.
'I remember seeing him get further out. He was shouting for help.'
Mark Wright, who was sleeping rough in a shelter on the Promenade, said he was woken at 4.10am when he heard Alex's girlfriend screaming: 'Alex I can't live without you.'
Giving evidence at the inquest, Mr Wright said he could see Alex 'struggling to keep his head above the water', but then lost sight of him because it was dark.
David Langton, who had also been asleep in a shelter, woke up when he heard Mark shouting to him: 'Get on your phone David there's someone in the water.'
'[Alex's girlfriend] told me she wanted to kill herself,' Mr Langton said in a statement.
'She told me her friend couldn't swim. I tried to look for him but I couldn't see anything.'
PC Ryan Kavanagh of Lancashire Police was driving down the Promenade at around 4.25am on Friday, July 30 and pulled over when he saw Mr Wright at the side of the road.
Senior Coroner Alan Wilson said: 'Anyone who has seen the tide at Blackpool when it's fully in knows it is dangerous', concluding the 'brave young man' had died trying 'to save a vulnerable young girl'
'He asked me if I was there because there was
