A man drowned in the sea during a stag party at a seaside resort, the coastguard said.

The man, in his early 30s, was pronounced dead at hospital after being rescued from the sea next to the Palace Pier in Brighton at around 7.15pm on Saturday.

Lifeguards on the beach attempted to save the man along with another member of the 14-strong stag group, but they were unable to reach him in the "very rough conditions", a spokesman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said.

The man was eventually recovered by a crewman from the Brighton RNLI lifeboat and was landed ashore to a waiting ambulance.

The other member of the party who tried to save him was recovering in hospital, the spokesman added.

Solent Coastguard watch manager Mike O'Sullivan said: "This was supposed to have been an enjoyable event but it rapidly turned to tragedy as one of the party got into difficulties after deciding to go for a swim in atrocious sea conditions - the wind at the time was a south-westerly force 5-7 with a moderate to rough sea state generating a heavy surf.

"Members of the public entering the sea in these sort of conditions were putting themselves at severe risk - no matter how commendable were their intentions."

Chief Inspector Pete Mills of Sussex Police said the man's next of kin had not yet been informed.

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