Sisters pay tribute to 'free spirit' who drowned during first date

The sisters of a man who died after drowning during a first date have paid touching tribute to a 'free-spirited human' who they said 'had a lifetime of knowledge about water'.

Haydn Griffiths tragically died after attempting to swim out to wind turbines off New Brighton beach in Wallasey, Merseyside. He was just 23.

Lifeboat crews from Hoylake and New Brighton carried out an extensive search for Haydn but sadly he could not be saved. His body was found on July 24 last year – the day before World Drowning Prevention Day.

Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.

The sailor, from Lowton in Wigan, loved improving his health and fitness and was a strong swimmer having been a member of his local sailing club since he was six years old. He later held a power boat licence and worked on the safety and rescue boat for open-water swimming, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Haydn was also selected to train on the GBR national sailing squad and his name appears on a competition trophy along with Ben Ainslie. His sisters, Megan and Brogan, spoke out today - World Drowning Prevention Day - to hammer home life-saving water safety messages.

Speaking to the ECHO at Hoylake Lifeboat Station, Megan paid tribute to her brother. She said: "Haydn was the most incredible, strong, free-spirited human. He had a lifetime of knowledge about water. His whole life revolved around the water.

"He worked on yachts and ships, he was in the Merchant Navy. He trained on the British National Squad for sailing, an incredibly competitive sailor, sportsman, and an open water scuba diver - everything revolved around water.

"He knew so much about water and was so fit and strong and to lose Haydn to the water,