Family of Barrow Man swept out to sea in Blackpool pay tribute
Last updated at 09:47, Thursday, 03 January 2013
THE family of the man swept into rough seas in Blackpool have paid tribute.
Paul Morris, 41, from South Shore in Blackpool but formerly from Rawlinson Street, Barrow, was swept into the sea in gale force winds just after midnight on Tuesday morning.
Attempts to recover Mr Morris' body resumed this morning, with officers from Liverpool Coastguard searching the beach around Blackpool's South Pier, however the team have had to finish the search with high tide due at 1.50pm.
A statement from the family read: “Paul is a hardworking man who enjoys spending time with friends and loves his family dearly. He’s only recently moved back to Blackpool and we’re obviously shocked by what has happened and it’s a difficult time for us all, particularly as Paul can’t swim and we fear the worst.
"We’re now just waiting for that fateful call to say that he’s been found so we can have some closure. We’d like to thank all the emergency services for their efforts in trying to find and rescue Paul.”
Mr Morris has a mum, sister and two brothers.
According to police Mr Morris was walking a dog with two friends along the steps that lead from the promenade to the sea near to South Pier, when a wave washed him and a friend into the sea. His friend managed to climb out of the water but Mr Morris did not emerge.
Reports indicate that Prince William, 30, was a member of a four-man Sea King helicopter crew scrambled from RAF Valley in Anglesey as part of the search, which was called off in the early hours of Tuesday.
Police have said that the man moved from Barrow to Blackpool about a month ago.
Mr Morris was reported to have been walking his dog near the South Pier with another man when they ended up in the water shortly after midnight.
Emergency services were called at 00:13 GMT following reports that a man was in the water near the South Pier at Blackpool.
An overnight sea search involving two helicopters, lifeboat crews and the RAF was called off at 3.30am yesterday.
A shoreline search continued during daylight hours yesterday but was suspended in the evening.
First published at 14:11, Tuesday, 01 January 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
Paul was very loving and an extremely good friend to me, we spent 6 months together working at the pig and whistle in Cartmel and he was an amazing head chef and would do anything for everyone. I must say your article is one of the best I have found about Paul, as others have made more of a story of who went to save him than the fact that a man has gone through some tragic accident. So thank you very much for that, he deserves the greatest write up ever, an amazing man. And will be deeply missed by everyone.
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Karen ,MAY and family, thinking of you all our deepest sympathy goes out to you all.RIP Paul from tan ,raph and dale x
Posted by Tanya Thorpe on 30 January 2013 at 18:47