Father of boy, 7, who died at West Mersea beach felt helpless

In a statement on a fundraising page Ahmed said: “Twenty minutes before we were due to leave, our family outing became every parent’s worst nightmare.

“One moment I was putting our belongings into the boot of the car. The next, I heard screaming.

“I ran towards my family, only to find myself repeatedly pushed back by the force of the waves.

“There is a helplessness in that moment that no words can truly capture. As a father, every instinct tells you to protect your family. But standing before the sea, you quickly realise there are moments when love alone cannot overcome the force of nature.

“The tragedy didn’t begin because we ignored danger. It began because we never knew it was there.”

“The story of Musa didn’t end at the shoreline. That’s where our responsibility began,” he continued.

Paying tribute to his son he said: “He had the kind of smile that made people smile back without thinking.

“He was bright-eyed, endlessly curious, and full of the kind of joy that filled every room he walked into.

“He had a beautiful way of making people feel seen. He greeted everyone with warmth, loved deeply, and was always the first to offer a helping hand.

“That was simply who he was. Kindness came naturally to him. Helping others came naturally to him.”