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| 'Freak' wave kills holidaying rugby coach Rob Walton | 'Freak' wave kills holidaying rugby coach Rob Walton |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A talented rugby coach has died after being struck by a giant wave while on holiday in France. | A talented rugby coach has died after being struck by a giant wave while on holiday in France. |
| Rob Walton, 36, from Hinckley in Leicestershire, was hit while swimming off the coast of Labenne, in south-west France, where he was on holiday with his family. | Rob Walton, 36, from Hinckley in Leicestershire, was hit while swimming off the coast of Labenne, in south-west France, where he was on holiday with his family. |
| Mr Walton played in the lock position at Championship-level in Birmingham, Rotherham and Coventry before becoming player-coach at Rugby Lions. | |
| Friends said he was a "gentle giant". | Friends said he was a "gentle giant". |
| 'Such a nice lad' | 'Such a nice lad' |
| The accident happened at about 14:00 BST on Monday. | The accident happened at about 14:00 BST on Monday. |
| Friends said Mr Walton, a father-of-four, was swimming off the coast when he was hit by a "freak" wave. | |
| Mr Walton grew up in Stoke Golding, near Hinckley, and played junior and senior rugby at Hinckley Rugby Club before moving to Birmingham - now Birmingham and Solihull - Rotherham and Coventry. | Mr Walton grew up in Stoke Golding, near Hinckley, and played junior and senior rugby at Hinckley Rugby Club before moving to Birmingham - now Birmingham and Solihull - Rotherham and Coventry. |
| He was part of the Birmingham side - then known as the Pertemps Bees - that famously beat London Wasps in the 2004 Powergen Cup quarter-final. | He was part of the Birmingham side - then known as the Pertemps Bees - that famously beat London Wasps in the 2004 Powergen Cup quarter-final. |
| After playing the sport in New Zealand alongside two future All Blacks - Chris Jack and Dan Carter - and having a second stint in Hinckley, he moved into coaching, guiding the Rugby Lions to two successive promotions. | After playing the sport in New Zealand alongside two future All Blacks - Chris Jack and Dan Carter - and having a second stint in Hinckley, he moved into coaching, guiding the Rugby Lions to two successive promotions. |
| Steve Avent, fixtures secretary at Hinckley, said he felt "so sorry" for Mr Walton's family. | Steve Avent, fixtures secretary at Hinckley, said he felt "so sorry" for Mr Walton's family. |
| "Everyone is devastated," he said. "I have known him since he was 10 years old and he's such a nice lad. | "Everyone is devastated," he said. "I have known him since he was 10 years old and he's such a nice lad. |
| "He played rugby at a high level - he was a gentle giant, really. You wouldn't think something like this was possible." | "He played rugby at a high level - he was a gentle giant, really. You wouldn't think something like this was possible." |
| "The flag at the club is flying at half-mast and there is no doubt we will have some sort of remembrance for him," he said. | "The flag at the club is flying at half-mast and there is no doubt we will have some sort of remembrance for him," he said. |
| Fellow player-coach Rob Dignum said he did not know how the club would "fill the void". | Fellow player-coach Rob Dignum said he did not know how the club would "fill the void". |
| "He had a heart of gold and friends all over the world," he said. | "He had a heart of gold and friends all over the world," he said. |