Cambridge graduate son of neurosurgeon dies after being pulled from family pool at brother's 21st birthday party

Dominic Hamlyn, 24, had a first-class degree in astrophysics, and was studying for a master's at Cambridge University. Photo / Twitter

An eminent neurosurgeon has described how he fought in vain to save his son after he was pulled unconscious from a swimming pool during his brother's 21st birthday party at the family home.

Peter Hamlyn, famed for saving the life of boxer Michael Watson when he was injured during a world title fight with Chris Eubank in 1991, paid tribute on Monday to his "beautiful, beautiful boy" on whom he desperately performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

Dominic Hamlyn, 24, who had a first-class degree in astrophysics, had delivered a "brilliant speech" for his youngest brother, Benedict, just moments before jumping in the pool.

Their heartbroken father said: "We are broken. If he is to be remembered, it is as a hero and one of the world's helpers."

Paramedics were called to the family's sprawling, Grade II-listed £3 million ($5.5m) farmhouse in Crundale, near Ashford in Kent, at 3.30am on Sunday but were unable to save the gifted student, who had been studying for a Masters at Cambridge.

Dr Hamlyn, 62, revealed that his son, who was "almost sober", had gone for a dip with friends shortly after giving a speech.

"He completed two lengths and then sank to the bottom," he said. "There is no mystery, there were no drugs.

"He was immediately pulled from the water and a medical student started performing CPR until I came a minute later to take over."

He said an ambulance arrived quickly and his son was stabilised before being rushed to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.

"Two consultants worked on him throughout the night," he added. "A specialist team came from St Thomas to put him on a bypass. He died last night despite all their efforts."

He added: "Their brilliance at resuscitation is our only comfort."

Dr Hamlyn, who specialises in elite sports injuries, said his son had "clearly had a heart attack", noting that a brain scan had ruled out a haemorrhage. He suggested he had fallen victim to Sudden Athlete Death - known as SAD - a rare cardiac syndrome.

The Hamlyn family, from left: Gabriel, Geraldine, Benedict, Peter and Dominic. Photo / Instagram

The consultant neurosurgeon, who has written regularly for the Telegraph, was at home on Monday with his wife, Geraldine, 61 and their two other sons, Benedict, 21, and Gabriel, 23.

Neighbours described the Hamlyns as "a lovely family" and several said they had heard the three brothers playing in the garden when they were children.

They said they had heard fireworks at about midnight, shortly before Mr Hamlyn was pulled unconscious from the pool.

Dominic Hamlyn was described as a "superb athlete" who had competed in both rugby and rowing at Cambridge.

In 2014, he ran the London Marathon in aid of the Brain & Spine Foundation, a charity founded by his father.

He described online how he had been inspired to do so because the five live-saving operations his father performed on Watson, whose survival is now regarded as a medical miracle.

"When I was a young boy I helped my father fund raising," he wrote. "He and his patient, the injured boxer Michael Watson, along with his carer Lenny, walked the London marathon for the Brain and Spine Foundation. It took them six days and I swore when I was old enough I would run it; in the words of Michael, 'for the benefit of others less fortunate than me.'"

Benedict Hamlyn posted a family photograph on Instagram two years ago, writing: "Some say the perfect family doesn't exist. I seem to have stumbled upon evidence to the contrary."

A post mortem is expected to be carried out within the next few days.