British rugby coach dies after breaking back while swimming in France

Tuesday, 12 Aug, 2015 0

A British rugby coach has died after a huge wave broke his spine while swimming in France.

Rob Walton, head coach of the Rugby Lions, was on a family holiday with his wife and children in south-western France.

He suffered fatal whiplash when a wave crashed on to him a he swum off the beach in Labenne. The area is popular among surfers for its gigantic Atlantic waves.

The Foreign Office confirmed a British national died on Monday and said it was providing consular assistance.

Both his old club, Hinckley RFC, and the Rugby Lions paid tribute to the coach, who had the nickname Yoghurt.



 

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Lisa

Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.



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