Heroic father dies after saving three of his children (Photos)

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A heroic father-of-seven died while rescuing three of his children when they got caught in a rip tide during a family trip to the seaside.

Jonathan ‘Joff’ Stevens, 36, was with the youngsters aged ten to 12 at Barmouth in North Wales when they began to struggle in the water yesterday lunchtime.

The plasterer tried to pull the children to safety, and a major rescue operation was launched involving a lifeboat and Coastguard search and rescue helicopter.

Mr Stevens, from Telford, Shropshire, was then pulled from the water and flown to Gwynedd Hospital in Bangor in an air ambulance but died.

Today, his heartbroken partner Laura Burford, who was back home 80 miles away when the tragedy happened, said he had died a hero while ‘saving their babies’.

She said: ‘I am absolutely devastated to say that I have lost the complete love of my life. All seven of his beautiful kids have lost their dad.

‘He died saving his kids’ lives in the sea. There are no words to describe the pain. I will always be grateful to (him) for bringing our babies back. I love him, always have, and always will.’

GoFundMe page aiming to raise £2.000 has been set up to support Ms Burford and the children by friend Mel Plowman, who described Mr Stevens as a ‘true hero’.