A MAN died and a woman remains in hospital following a "tragic accident" at Lifton in the early hours of Sunday, after they fell into a hotel fishing lake.

Police were called by ambulance control to Tinhay Lake, Lifton, where two people were reported to have fallen into the water. Fire and ambulance crews were also sent to the location.

A woman in her 30s was pulled from the water by people at the scene and she was taken to Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, by RAF helicopter.

An extensive search, involving over 30 police officers — supported by the Devon and Cornwall Police force helicopter and the diving team and assisted by the fire service — was conducted for the second person, a man aged about 50 years.

A few hours later, at around 5.20am, the police diving team recovered a body.

Supt Sarah Sharp of the Devon and Cornwall Police said: "The difficulty with any quarry water is that it's extremely deep and extremely cold, and usually with very steep sides. It was a very difficult location to access, and it was dark as well, so it was a very difficult rescue scenario."

The three-acre private lake, which is owned by the Arundell Arms and is up to 90ft (27m) deep in places, was formerly a limestone quarry.

Police have been conducting inquiries into the incident, but they said it appeared to be a "tragic accident with no suspicious circumstances."

A police spokesman said the woman's condition had improved and she was said to be out of danger.

Details of the identification of the man have not yet been released. It is believed that the man and woman were from Okehampton.