THE daughter of an ex-fisherman who died after swimming off Cleethorpes beach has thanked the lifeboat crew who attempted to save his life.
Angela Christy, 42, told an inquest at Cleethorpes Town Hall that she was "so grateful" for everything the rescue team did to try to resuscitate her dad, Walter "Wally" Dobson.
Mr Dobson, 62, of Tom Hammond Way, Grimsby, had been drinking with two friends on the Central Promenade when he decided to take a dip in the Humber at about 11am on June 30.
Friend James Rawlins, who was with him at the time and had accompanied him to a shop on Sea View Street to buy alcohol, told the inquest: "He decided he wanted to go for a paddle.
"He was a stubborn person and he went out to the buoys about 100 yards out.
"He was doing breast stroke up and down so I went and sat on a bench."
Mr Rawlins lost sight of his friend and then noticed he was floating face down.
Mr Rawlins added: "If we had gone in after him all three of us would have died."
Instead, he alerted a gardener who was working nearby and he contacted Cleethorpes' lifeboat station.
Volunteer helmsman Ian Sanderson said the lifeboat was out on a training exercise at the time and was stationed near the end of the pier.
He said: "When you are called to reports of a swimmer who is struggling you expect them to be waving and shouting to you, but Mr Dobson was face down."
The crew, who had been practising casualty recovery, rescued Mr Dobson from the 6ft of water in less than 60 seconds.
They began CPR, which was continued by ambulance staff and medics at Grimsby's Diana, Princess Of Wales Hospital, but he was later pronounced dead.
Mr Sanderson, who has volunteered on the lifeboats for 12 years, told Mr Dobson's daughter: "I can assure you myself and the crew did everything possible to give him a chance of survival and he was treated with dignity at all times."
Speaking after the inquest, Angela, from Grimsby, told the Telegraph: "I am so grateful for what they did for him. It's hard to put into words how much I appreciate it.
"Dad always lived life to the full."
A post mortem examination revealed Mr Dobson was relatively healthy for his age but had alcohol measuring four-and-a-half times the legal drink-drive limit in his system.
North East Lincolnshire coroner Paul Kelly recorded a verdict of death as a result of an accident.
He said: "The best view is that by the time the lifeboat crew was able to get Mr Dobson into the boat he was already dead, although attempts were made by the crew of the boat, the ambulance staff and at hospital to resuscitate him."
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter