20 June 2012 Last updated at 11:45 ET

Flowers laid for swimmer who died off Brighton beach

The in-shore lifeboat and coastguard units, plus a helicopter and police officers took part in the search

Flowers have been laid for a swimmer who died after getting into difficulties in the sea off Brighton.

The body of the man, who has not been identified, was washed up on the beach on Tuesday afternoon, three hours after a major search operation was launched.

The in-shore lifeboat and coastguard units, plus a helicopter and police officers on the beach, were involved.

Sussex Police said the man's death was not being treated as suspicious. A post-mortem examination will be held.

Lifeguard flag

Eyewitness Lauren Webster said she was sitting on the beach behind the man before he went into the sea with a group of friends.

"We heard some people shouting, and one of them kept going under the water.

"They [the man's friends] ran out on to the beach and shook the lifeguard flag, and the lifeguards came running pretty quickly," she said.

"We thought it was someone really far out to sea. We didn't realise it was the people directly sitting in front of us."

Ms Webster and two other friends, who had also been on the beach when the man drowned, left flowers by railings overlooking the Lower Esplanade.