A FIVE-year-old boy drowned after he slipped off a harbour wall and fell 13ft into water – with his dad desperately trying to save him.

The youngster is understood to have been crab fishing from the wall in Padstow harbour, Cornwall with his father and brother when he fell off.

He struck a boat before falling into the water, and died despite heroic efforts from locals to rescue him.

A witness told The Sun how the boy’s father and an off-duty fireman jumped into the harbour to try and rescue him while others called emergency services

She said: “He was crabbing with his little brother and his dad not far from the ice cream van where there are no barriers on that side.

“I understand that he slipped and fell onto the boat then into the water.

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“I believe the dad went in after him as he was on the boat with an off-duty fireman who was helping as well as the people who own the boat.”

But another witness Vikki Leak posted on Facebook: “We were there and I was disgusted by the behaviour of what I can only assume were mostly tourists, gathered round the harbour watching the coastguard and ambulances try to save the little one's life.

“The rubber necking, morbid fascination made me sick to my stomach.”

Emergency services were called at around 11:45am on Saturday morning following reports of a child having fallen from the harbour wall in Padstow.

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The boy was taken to Treliske by Air Ambulance and later transferred to Bristol Hospital for treatment.

Police say they are treating his death as a tragic accident.

A spokesman added: “Our thoughts are with family and loved ones of the child during this difficult time.”

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