Heroic passersby battled to rescue a man who disappeared in the Thames while swimming near Kingston Bridge.

But despite desperate bids to pull him from the water and resuscitate him, the 46-year-old Surbiton man died at Kingston Hospital the following day.

The tragedy comes three months after 20-year-old law student Niall Pawsey drowned when he swam in the Thames after drinking in the Kingston Mill.

It also comes six weeks after staff from Teddington lifeboat station helped train bar and restaurant staff from the steps where the man entered the water.

Hundreds of people enjoying the sunny weather on Saturday, July 30, witnessed the man try to swim across the river from near the Gazebo pub at about 7.50pm.

But the man got into difficulties half way across and a rescue attempt was sparked when he suddenly disappeared under the surface.

Philip Green, 34, from Putney, dived in to the water seconds after he saw the man go under.

A boat which had been about to moor headed across the river, and a number of young men jumped into the water to help the search.

Another larger boat circled the area, with passengers pointing to spots in the water and offering life rings.

Mr Green, an executive director at Goldman Sacs, was previously an assistant guide on the Orange River in South Africa.

His girlfriend Lindsay Collett, said: “It was not more than a few minutes before Philip found the man under the water and it was a group effort to bring him to shore.”

She said a trainee nurse called Katie then began CPR with the assistance of the police and bystanders.

Paramedics found the man in cardiac arrest and battled to save him at the scene and en route to Kingston Hospital, where he was put on life support.

A post mortem is being held later today, but police are treating his death as non-suspicious.

Do you know the man who died? Leave a tribute below or contact martingeorge@london.newsquest.co.uk