A "gentle and caring" dad-of-six was tragically swept out to sea by a riptide while cooling off after a gym session, an inquest has heard.

Matthew Collins, 39, entered the water with a friend at Broadstairs after working out at PureGym at Westwood Cross in October.

But the pair encountered strong currents and Mr Collins was pulled into intensely cold water.

An inquest held on Friday heard the Maidstone resident was airlifted to hospital – but was tragically pronounced dead on arrival at Ashford’s William Harvey.

The tragedy occurred just three weeks after the birth of his sixth child and has left his large family heartbroken.

Coroner Katrina Hepburn said Mr Collins had been to the gym on the morning of Wednesday, October 18, before going to the beach off Cliff Promenade, Broadstairs.

"They went out into the water and Matthew had difficulty and got swept by the tide,” Ms Hepburn told the hearing at Oakwood House in Maidstone.

“By the time the coastguard had arrived, Matthew had become unresponsive in the water.

“He was taken out of the water by the coastguard and taken to hospital by air ambulance.”

Ms Hepburn concluded Mr Collins became exhausted battling against the waves, and that immersion in the cold water and an underlying case of thalassaemia - a genetic blood disease - caused a fatal cardiac arrhythmia.

Mr Collins’ mother, Melanie Collins-Brett, previously told KentOnline that her son’s death has devastated their family.

“He was the best son ever and I’m going to miss him terribly,” she said.

“He was my friend and such a gentle, loving and caring son.

“It’s hard to imagine I’m not going to see him again, and my heart will bleed until I do. I love and miss him.”

Mr Collins was born in Margate, but was living in Station Road, Maidstone, and working as a salesman at the time of his death.

His partner, Lucy Smith – the mother of his youngest son Ronnie – described him as “the most loving, kind man”.

“You are and will always be the love of my life,” she wrote in a touching tribute.

“You were the best dad to our son even though I know it wasn’t for long.

“I know given the chance you would’ve been a great dad to our Ronnie and I will remind him of you every day, as will all his brothers and sisters.

“He’s going to be so loved and protected. My heart’s broken. I love you Matt.”

Mr Collins leaves behind his six children, Ronnie, Lacey, Jazmine, Junior, Melody and Honey, as well as three grandchildren, Mabel, Dottie and Montana.

He will also be missed by his three brothers, Jamie, Tobias and Bobby, and his stepdad Henry.

A fundraising page set up to give Mr Collins the “send-off he deserved” raised more than £5,000 last year.