UK tourist drowns in Philippines

6:48pm Monday 21st July 2008

A British tourist drowned after being swept away by a strong current at a popular tourist spot in the Philippines.

Richard Kidd, from Gateshead, died on Saturday while swimming at Bataan's Dunsulan Falls, west of the capital, Manila.

A Foreign Office spokesman said the 56-year-old was visiting the falls with his British girlfriend and her father, who are residents of Bataan.

He was swept away as he swam alone below the waterfall, which was swollen from rain.

Local police said Mr Kidd, an artist, was in the country to paint a luxury ship in Bataan.

The Philippine archipelago in south east Asia is made up of more than 7,000 islands.