Dad drowned after being swept out to sea just weeks after birth of his child

A ‘gentle and caring’ dad died after being swept out to sea by a riptide just three weeks after his youngest child was born.

Matthew Collins, 39, entered the water to cool down with a friend following a gym session last October, an inquest heard.

But the pair encountered strong currents and Mr Collins was pulled into intensely cold water off Broadstairs in Kent.

Mr Collins was airlifted to hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

The tragedy occurred just three weeks after the birth of his sixth child and left his family heartbroken, the inquest in Maidstone was told on Friday February 16.

Mr Collins had been to PureGym in Broadstairs on the morning of Wednesday October 18 before going to the beach off Cliff Promenade in the town, the inquest heard.

Coroner Katrina Hepburn said: ‘They went out into the water and Matthew had difficulty and got swept by the tide.

‘By the time the coastguard had arrived, Matthew had become unresponsive in the water.

‘He was taken out of the water by the coastguard and taken to hospital by air ambulance.’

Ms Hepburn concluded Mr Collins became exhausted battling against the waves, and that immersion in the cold water and an underlying case of thalassaemia – a genetic blood disease – caused a fatal cardiac arrhythmia.

Mr Collins’ mother, Melanie Collins-Brett, said her son’s death has devastated their family.

Speaking before the inquest, she said: ‘He was the best son ever and I’m going to miss him terribly.

‘He was my friend and such a gentle, loving and caring son.

‘It’s hard to imagine I’m not going to see him again, and my heart will bleed until I do. I love and miss him.’

Born in Margate, Mr Collins was living in Maidstone, Kent, and working as a salesman at the time of his death.

His partner, Lucy Smith – the mother of his youngest son Ronnie – described him as ‘the most loving, kind man’.

‘You are and will always be the love of my life,’ she wrote in a tribute.

‘You were the best dad to our son even though I know it wasn’t for long.

‘I know given the chance you would’ve been a great dad to our Ronnie and I will remind him of you every day, as will all his brothers and sisters.

‘He’s going to be so loved and protected. My heart’s broken. I love you Matt.’

Mr Collins left six children, Ronnie, Lacey, Jazmine, Junior, Melody and Honey, as well as three grandchildren, Mabel, Dottie and Montana.

A fundraising page set up to give Mr Collins the ‘send-off he deserved’ raised more than £5,000.

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