A man has lost his life after he jumped into a river trying to save his dog while his family was shopping in a nearby branch of Asda.
The 46-year-old was rushed to the hospital in the morning of Tuesday December 24th 2013 in Newton Abbot, Devon, UK. He had sustained serious injuries.
The dog escaped without injury after being rescued from the water by members of the public.
The man is the sixth victim of the extreme weather which has swept Britain over the past two days, after two others drowned and three people died in crashes.
The man had apparently been visiting Asda with his family and their three pet dogs when one of the animals went in to the River Lemon near the store.
Witnesses called the police emergency number, 999, after seeing him in difficulty in the river.
He was found in a very critical condition some distance downstream of the site where he entered the water, and flown to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. He fought for life for several hours, but lost his battle this afternoon.
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: ‘The man has been pronounced dead at hospital. His next-of-kin are aware.’
