Hold my hand, drowning man told his daughter

A company director who drowned trying to rescue his daughter told her to “hold my hand” with his last words.

Simon Pearson, 47, from Old Church Stoke, Powys, lost his strength and died as he battled to hold Lily, 10, above the waves in a resort in Puglia, southern Italy. They were swimming at Lido Bosco Verde in Ostuni last month when they got into trouble.

A rescuer who reached them could only save Lily. Martino Maggi, 49, an Italian beach worker, also died trying to save the family, a coroner in Shrewsbury who recorded a verdict of death by drowning was told.

Mr Pearson’s wife Emma, 43, said in a statement that her daughter told her that the whole time, he just said to her “hold my hand”.