EMERGENCY services who rushed to the aid of a fisherman who suffered a fatal heart attack off the Pembrokeshire coast have been praised for their swift response.

Martin Benwell of Burry Port was working on the trawler The Barbican Maid seven miles off Tenby when he became unwell.

His colleague, Stuart Denman, called Milford Haven coastguard, who immediately dispatched Tenby's all-weather lifeboat to the trawler, which was south of Caldey Island.

Sadly, Mr Benwell suffered a heart attack on board the lifeboat. On arrival at the shore, emergency services, including paramedics from the Wales Air Ambulance, worked on him for over an hour, but he could not be saved.

Mr Denman paid tribute to all those who had played a part in the incident and said that the lifeboat team, and the coastguards liaising with them, were 'tremendous'.

"They were there within 13 minutes and were absolutely incredible," he said. "We cannot praise them enough".

The funeral of Mr Benwell - described as 'one of life's gentlemen' - will take place on Tuesday May 6 in Llanelli, with donations in lieu of flowers being requested for Tenby RNLI.