A day-tripper has described his desperate attempts to save a mother and daughter who drowned off an Essex beach on Wednesday evening. Craig Bowe, 42, plunged into the sea at West Mersea, near Colchester, three times after hearing screams.

Despite his efforts, Shally Rahman, 41, and her daughter Samiha Rahman, 15, died after becoming caught in the waves. The kitchen fitter was on a day trip from Hertfordshire to celebrate his own daughter's 10th birthday when the tragedy unfolded.

Bowe managed to pull Shally Rahman ashore, where bystanders immediately began administering CPR. He then re-entered the water to rescue Samiha. He subsequently returned to the sea to assist a seven-year-old boy, who was also in distress approximately 150 yards offshore, and helped him and another child onto a lifeboat.

The seven-year-old boy, who was on a family day out from Barking, east London, was airlifted to a hospital and remained in a critical condition on Friday. Three other individuals were transported by ambulance to a separate hospital following the incident, which occurred around 17:35 BST.

Bowe recounted hearing a man screaming in the water and seeing bodies floating. "When I got there, the first two people I saw were actually face down, so [it was] more serious than I initially thought," he told the BBC. He described battling strong currents and waves hitting his face during his rescues.

Witnesses reported the boy may have become stranded on a sandbank as the tide came in. Bowe's wife, Carly, was among those on the beach attempting to resuscitate the mother and daughter. She described the scene as devastating, recalling seeing the victims enjoying themselves earlier in the day.

Craig Bowe downplayed suggestions he was a hero, emphasizing that the rescue was a collective effort. "Everybody on that beach that day played their part in giving that family the best chance they could to survive," his wife added. Flowers have since been laid at the scene.

Essex Police are appealing for any witnesses to come forward as they continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.