25/08/2008

Man Arrested After Woman Drowns

A young woman has died and a man - said to be her boyfriend - has been treated in hospital after the couple were rescued from the sea off the Blackpool coast.

The woman is the 12th person to drown in the North Shore area in the last two years and the 18th drowning tragedy in the last 22 years at Blackpool.

Police have since arrested a male on suspicion of murder. He is currently still being questioned by police.

Police said that two people were pulled from the water at Blackpool Promenade in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The man was rescued opposite the Cenotaph but had by then suffered a serious head injury, which police believe may have occurred as he was forced against the sea wall by waves.

The body of a woman was later pulled from the water close to North Pier.

While the police investigation is continuing, as yet it is not known why the couple, from the Manchester area, were in the water

A lifeboat and police helicopter were scrambled shortly before 3am after a passerby raised the alarm.

Detective Inspector Mark Gray said "it is not clear how the pair have entered the water" and "we are appealing for anyone who may have seen the couple on middle walk or in the area at around 2.30am to come forward".

Meanwhile volunteer staff standing in for striking coastguards said the industrial action, which began on Saturday for 24 hours, did not contribute to the woman's death.

(DS)

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