"IF it wasn't for him I wouldn't have a daughter."

The son of a Southampton man who died after saving the life of his granddaughter has paid tribute to his brave dad.

Eddy Moore died following a dramatic seaside rescue in which he saved the life of his two-year-old granddaughter Keely.

His son Tony told the Daily Echo how his dad, who was the best man at his wedding, would be sadly missed and remembered for giving his life for his family.

"He is still with us, even though we can't see him," said Tony, 21, from Lower Brownhill Road, in Maybush, Southampton.

"He was the best man at my wedding and he was always the life and soul of every party.

"People found him an absolute pleasure to be with."

Mr Moore, 43, was pronounced dead at Southampton General Hospital after being airlifted from Lepe beach on Sunday afternoon by the Solent Coastguard helicopter.

The popular granddad, who originally came from Belfast, also has an 18-year-old son Eddy and daughter Shauna, 11, and was a ground worker for Southampton firm Dyer and Butler.

"He was so respected by his colleagues," said Tony, who had worked alongside his dad.

"He was a professional and a perfectionist in everything he did. He would never leave a job unless he was absolutely happy with it.

"He was always proud of his work and proud of his family."

Tony was called to the beach and rode with his father in the helicopter as paramedics continued the battle to save his life.

"I knew he had gone before I got there. You just feel it inside," said Tony, who added that he would always remember sea fishing trips with his dad.

"He would always love to swim in the water. He was also a Celtic and Manchester United fan and he liked to sing.

"He would just start singing whatever song was in his head."

Paying tribute to his father's bravery, Tony described how he was playing in the sea with Shauna, her friend and Keely when the tide came in rapidly on a sandbar near the spit area of Lepe beach.

When the family got into trouble, Mr Moore put Keely on his back and swam back to shore with his head underwater to keep the toddler above the surface.

"People came to help him and took Keely back to shore. They went back for him and he told them to help get the other girls out. When they went back for him, he was already unconscious," Tony said.

"He didn't just save one life he saved all the girls. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have a daughter today.

"He died for his family and he will always be looking down on us.

"We're all very proud of what he did."

Mr Moore's family will be travelling from Northern Ireland to be at his funeral.

"We are still arranging it but it is going to be a massive turnout of family and friends," Tony said.

Emergency services were scrambled to the beach at 3.30pm on Sunday afternoon when the incident happened.

Members of the public first responded after hearing girls on the beach screaming for help.

Solent Rescue lifeguards were next on the scene and continued resuscitation attempts until the Solent Coastguard and ambulance crews could make it to the beach.

A spokeswoman for Hampshire police said that Mr Moore's death was being treated as an accident.