A woman has died after being swept out to sea, while a man was seriously injured in Wirral this afternoon.
Emergency services were called to the tragedy in New Brighton, at about 12.30pm after reports a man and woman had got into difficulty in the water.
The two people and a dog were removed from the water, near Kings Parade, after police and the coastguard arrived at the scene, a force spokesman said.
The woman, in her 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
The man, in his 20s, was taken to hospital and is in a stable condition.
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The dog is safe and well, a police spokesman said.
Detective Inspector Tara Denn said: "Inquiries are ongoing establish the full circumstances of what led to this tragic incident.
"We know there were a number of people in the area at the time who would have witnessed all or part of this incident.
"While we have spoken to some witnesses, we are keen to speak to others who can help us piece together what happened.
"If you were in the area at the time, please contact us - every bit of information, however small it may seem, could prove crucial."
Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and the woman's next of kin had been informed but formal identification had not yet taken place.
Anyone with information should contact Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or on Facebook at Merseyside Police Contact Centre.
They can also call 101 quoting incident reference 341 of July 6.
