A 26-year-old British man has died after reportedly being struck by lightning while paddleboarding in Greece.

The  man, who has not been identified, was in the sea off the beach in Agia Agathi, Rhodes, as his girlfriend filmed him from the beach, according to local reports.

Greek newspaper Rodiaki reported that lightning struck the water near the man shortly before 1.30pm local time on Tuesday, causing him to fall in the water injured.

The newspaper reported that a passer-by, who it named as a Brazilian footballer who plays for a local side, waded into the water to pull the man back to shore. Medics then took him to a local hospital before he was declared dead.

The Port Authority of Rhodes have confirmed the victim was a 26-year-old man and a British national but would give no further information.

A spokesman said: “This is an active case so we cannot give more details at the moment.”

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Rhodes and are in contact with local authorities.”