A British man had died off the coast of Melbourne after his surfboard snapped in rough conditions.

Strong winds of up to 80mph had been reported in the state yesterday.

A 43-year-old friend had jumped into the water to try and assist him, but both ended up in difficulty.

A police helicopter winched them back to shore, but they were unresponsive and could not be revived.

Emergency services were called to Frankston Beach in Melbourne's southeast at about 5pm local time on Wednesday.

Both men have yet to be formally identified, with police trying to notify their next of kin.

Inspector Melissa Nixon said the surfer had "minimal experience", adding: "It appears he may have only been learning to surf.

"His friend obviously thought he was in distress and jumped in to help him.

"The weathe

See Full Page