AN angler relived the moment his friend was swept to his death at Redcar by a rogue wave, despite his frantic rescue attempt.

The wave knocked Stewart Simpson, 41, of Kirkstone Grove, Redcar, off the short pier where he was fishing into the North Sea.

Mark Noble, 43, of Laburnum Road, Redcar, was fishing with his youngest son Philip, 14, and Mr Simpson on Sunday afternoon, when the accident happened at South Gare.

Mr Simpson decided to move nearer the end of the gare to get a better fishing position, but as he sorted his gear, a wave crashed over and he fell into the sea.

Mr Noble said: "I was shouting to him in the water and he responded. He zipped up his survival suit and put the hood up, as you are told to do."

When Mr Noble tried to throw a lifebelt, he found the rope attached to it was too short.

He said: "If I had been able to get it to him, we might have been able to pull him into the side before he reached the surf."

Mr Noble ran to the shore and, with police, waded in to try to reach his friend.

He said: "I got hold of him, but could not drag him out of the surf. The waves were going over the top of us."

He paid tribute to the devoted father-of-three, whom he said was 'the sort of person everyone turned to for friendship and advice.'

A huge land, air and sea rescue was launched in severe weather after the alarm was raised.

Lifeboat crews battled winds of 60mph in the operation, a Sea King helicopter was launched and there was back-up from fire crews and police officers.

Force nine gales hit the coast and Redcar Lifeboat crew reported heavy rain, snow, hail and high waves.

The Redcar Atlantic and Teesmouth all-weather lifeboats, police, ambulance, fire and coastguard crews were all involved in the search, while an RAF rescue helicopter returning from the Lake District was also diverted to the scene.

When Mr Simpson was brought out of the water he given first aid on the shore. He was airlifted to Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital, but died shortly after.

Dave Cammish, of Redcar Lifeboat, described the weather conditions as nasty.

He said: "The power of the elements is immense and so unpredictable. There is only one safe thing to do - don't go when it's like that."

The popular fishing spot at the South Gare has seen a number of tragedies in recent years.

Last year, two men died when their cabin cruiser lost power and capsized off the Gare in May. While in February 2001, a 20-year-old Eston man died after being swept into the sea while walking on rocks.

And in December 1998, a double wave washed a fisherman to his death.