THE family of a teenager who died trying to save a friend from being swept out to sea have spoken of their heartache.

Seventeen-year-old James Samuel Willis died after getting into difficulties in the sea at Whitby, North Yorkshire, on Wednesday afternoon.

Yesterday, his heartbroken mother, Paula Willis, paid tribute to her son.

“James was a lovely, popular boy and will be sorely missed by all his family and friends,”

she said.

“I am completely devastated by this tragic accident and I am trying to come to terms with his loss.”

Yesterday, an inquest into the death was opened and adjourned in Scarborough and the police investigation was continuing.

At the time of the tragedy James, originally from Stockton, was on an adult-supervised trip from St Nicholas Hospital, in Gosforth, a medium secure psychiatric hospital for youths.

He and two 16-year-old girls are believed to have been using an inflatable dinghy when they were caught in a rip current near Whitby’s West Pier.

James managed to climb up a ladder but is thought to have gone back to help one of his companions when he was hit by a number of waves.

He was pulled from the water unconscious and airlifted to hospital, but attempts to revive him failed. Both girls suffered only minor injuries.

Witnesses, or anyone with information about the accident, are asked to contact police on 0845-60-60-24-7.