The beach was reportedly very busy at the time of the incident, and a man in his 40s who was "on the water" was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

According to Dorset Police, the two youngsters were pulled from the water and later died in hospital.

Eight other people were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the police are working with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The police have revealed that the youngsters were not related to each other and had not been hit by a jet-ski or had any physical contact with a boat.

Witnesses reported seeing people in the water struggling, and lifeguards on duty quickly sprang into action.

The lifeguards have been praised for their response, with one GP who happened to be on the beach writing on LinkedIn that the young lifeguards did everything asked of them and followed instructions to the letter while taking their own initiative.

The council is also working with the emergency services to assess safety in the water near the pier.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the police, and Crimestoppers is also available as an anonymous alternative.