British man drowns in Austrian lake after suffering cramp in foot

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, A view from Schafberg of Mondsee lake

A British man has died in Austria after getting cramp in his foot while he was swimming in a lake, police have said.

The 33-year-old drowned at the Schwarzindien beach area in Mondsee on Wednesday.

He was with a 36-year-old woman, also from the UK, when he disappeared below the surface after saying he was in pain.

Officers say when he did not come back up, the woman "screamed for help".

Other swimmers tried to help, but his body was recovered at around 4.30pm local time.

What is cramp?

Cramp is an involuntary muscle contraction which can be sudden and very painful - it is associated with exercise and dehydration.

It can last anywhere from a few seconds to 10 minutes and can make it hard for you to move.

Most cramps go away on their own, but the NHS advises stretching and massaging the muscle if you can.