Friends of the Hornchurch man who drowned with his seven-year-old son in Majorca have paid tribute to a “hero” and “good man with a good heart” who loved his family.

George Selby, 28, was trying to rescue his son Louis after the boy was washed into the sea by a large wave. Sadly, lifeguards were unable to revive either of the pair.

The tragedy happened at the Cala Antena beach, in the south east of the Spanish island, on Saturday (September 1).

Robert Jones, who manages the Cash Concepts store in Romford where Mr Selby had worked for 10 years, told the Recorder his friend and colleague had been “like a little brother”.

“He was a really good all-round guy,” said Mr Jones, 39, of Basildon. “He was a family man who loved his job and his kids and worked hard for them.”

As well as Louis, Mr Selby and his wife Abigail have two older sons.

“The family used to come in and see him,” added Mr Jones. “Louis used to sit on the back desk and we’d put Transformers on for him.

“George was really into home entertainment – he loved watching films with his kids. He’d just moved out and he was excited about getting his garden and decking done.

“He looked after the business almost like it was his own. He looked after me.”

Mr Jones said he wanted to commemorate Mr Selby with a plaque on a bench outside the High Street shop.

Another of Mr Selby’s colleagues at Cash Concepts said the news was hard to come to terms with.

“He died a hero, trying to get his son,” she said. “We just loved him here. He was such a good man with a good heart.”

She added the trip to Majorca had been the Selbys’ first family holiday.

Janet Roudette, Louis’s former teaching assistant last year, told the Recorder: “He was an adorable little character always making us laugh. It was such terrible news to hear of the tragic death of him and his dad.

“My thoughts go out to the rest of the family. RIP Louis and George.”

On Sunday, Mr Selby’s mother Christine gave this statement to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO): “My son George Selby died trying to save his son Louis Selby. George was passionate about his wife Abigail and their three sons.

“This tragedy that has befallen this family has devastated the lives of his wife, sons, and mother. George, Louis and their family were – and still are – loved by all that knew them.”