Pensioner, 66, drowned trying to save granddaughter, 5, as she was swept out to sea from Portuguese beach Brian O'Dwyer, 66, battled to save Lara Lewis but was overcome by waves Mr O'Dwyer and his wife Jill were walking their two grandchildren on beach The incident occurred at Praia do Salgados beach in August last year Lara unexpectedly ran towards water while red warning flags were flying Mrs O'Dwyer was forced back by water and fainted at scene, inquest hears Coroner recorded verdict of accidental death for Mr O'Dwyer and Lara A grandfather drowned as he battled to save his five-year-old granddaughter after she was swept out to sea by a freak wave, an inquest heard today. Lara Lewis was collecting seashells when she ran towards the water and the huge wave dragged her into rough waters on a Portuguese beach. Her grandfather Brian O'Dwyer, 66, and his wife Jill tried to save their granddaughter but Mr O'Dwyer drowned. Bravery: Brian O'Dwyer, 66, died while trying to save his five-year-old granddaughter Lara Lewis when she was swept out to sea at Praia do Salgados beach, in western Portugal Risk: An inquest heard that Lara unexpectedly ran towards the water on the beach where red warning flags had been flying Mrs O'Dwyer, who was forced back by the huge waves, could only watch on with her four-year-old grandson as the tragedy unfolded. In a statement to North London Coroner's Court, Mrs O'Dwyer described the incident as she frantically waved for help before fainting. Mrs O'Dwyer, who lived in Portugal with her husband, said: 'At a certain stage, my granddaughter ran towards the water. The sea was rough and my granddaughter was taken by the water. Sudden: An inquest at North London Coroner's Court heard that Lara, pictured with her mother Sian, 36, suddenly ran towards the water on the beach where red warning flags were flying The pair had been walking with their grandchildren on Praia do Salgado beach, in western Portugal, while the children's parents, Philip Lewis, 46 and his wife Sian, 36, were sunbathing on a beach nearby. Mrs O'Dwyer added: 'My husband attempted to rescue her but was unable to and as a result got into difficulties himself. I tried to enter the water but was forced back by a wave. I looked around for help and waved frantically but I don't remember anything after that as I must have fainted.' Fisherman Antonio Ribelo raised the alarm after finding Lara's brother wandering along the beach crying and calling out for his parents. While trying to locate the boy's parents, Mr Ribelo noticed Mrs O'Dwyer where she had collapsed on the shore. Recalling the ordeal on August 21 last year, Mr Ribelo said: 'I noticed a little boy crying for his mother, so I asked him where his mother was. I took the boy towards the south to see if we could see anyone. After noticing Mrs O'Dwyer lying on the sand he ran towards the scene before noticing a 'body floating in the sea'. He added: 'Then I saw another body, which looked like that of a child, where the waves were breaking.' Mr Ribelo rushed to pull Lara from the sea and a fellow fisherman dragged Mr O'Dwyer on to the sand. Holiday: The children had been holidaying in Portugal with their parents who were sunbathing elsewhere at Salgado beach when the tragedy unfolded Accident: Coroner Andrew Walker recorded that both Mr O'Dwyer and Lara died as a result of an accident He said Mr O'Dwyer, who was described in court as a a chief executive for agriculture, showed no signs of life and he focused his revival efforts on the girl until paramedics arrived. The inquest heard red flags had been flying on the beach on the day of the incident. The O'Dwyers and their grandchildren were around 400 metres outside the cordoned off safe swimming area when Lara ran towards the sea unexpectedly. 'We found the bodies on the beach which had been retrieved from the sea with no signs of life', said Portuguese investigator Manuel Jorge Mesquita da Fonseca. Even those resuscitating using advanced life support techniques for 45 minutes got no response. Mrs O'Dwyer, who was treated for shock, initially believed her grandson had also been swept into the sea when she collapsed and fainted. Mr Lewis, a professor at University College London, and his wife who were holidaying on the Portuguese coast with the O'Dwyer's, had to identify the bodies. Lara, who turned five a month before her death, had recently started at Rushmore Primary School, near the family's home in Clapton, east London. Coroner Andrew Walker recorded that both Mr O'Dwyer and Lara died as a result of an accident. 'A short time after 13.30 hours, Brian Gillespie O'Dwyer went into the sea to rescue his granddaughter who had run into the sea, where he drowned', he said. Lara Lewis was drowned having run into the sea, and I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that she died as a result of an accident. He added: 'Members of the family know about the inquest but have set out that they didn't wish to attend.'