People walking on a beach fought to save a chef whose body was washed up.

An inquest heard how Karl Loderer, of Station Road, Angmering, was three times over the drink drive limit when he went for a swim in the sea at Broadmark Beach, Rustington.

Passers-by discovered the 64-year-old man, originally from Vienna, and dragged him up the beach before giving him the kiss of life.

Mr Loderer was taken to Littlehampton Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Michael Davis, of Broadmark Lane, Rustington, was making sandcastles with his daughter when Mr Loderer walked past, at about 3pm, August 6.

They talked and Mr Loderer went to the sea before taking his shirt off and going swimming.

Mr Davis said he noticed the older man floating on his back and returned to making sand castles. About 15 minutes later he heard two teenage boys, David Brunelleschi and Aaron Tullett from Nottingham, calling to him.

Mr Davis said: "I saw the guy (Mr Loderer) laying on the beach and the boys were trying to pull him out of the surf.

"I picked up my daughter and ran across. I tried to pull the chap out."

They managed to get Mr Loderer up the beach but Mr Davis thought he was already dead.

Paramedic Simon Stevens, who was called to the scene, said he could tell by Mr Loderer's skin colour that he had not been breathing for some time Pathologist Dr Gordon White confirmed Mr Loderer had drowned and had an blood alcohol level of 307mg.

Mr Loderer's wife Margaret, 71, did not attend the hearing in Worthing Hospital yesterday.

Coroner Roger Stone returned a verdict of accidental death.