A fisherman who nearly drowned when his boat sank says he has been overwhelmed by the public support since the drama.
Kevin Hughes, 31, owner of Hughes’ Fish in Head Street, Colchester, says business has been booming since the incident in which he nearly died. He says members of the public have also been offering him money.
Kevin managed to keep himself alive for two hours after waves tipped his boat over about a mile from shore. He was found on the shore at East Mersea by a dog walker, and was suffering from hypothermia.
He said: “I don’t know about the financial impact yet, but we have been quite a bit busier because of it.
“We have been overwhelmed by people trying to offer us money – but we haven’t taken any – and cards and flowers.
“We have said to people ‘your custom is more than enough’.”
Mr Hughes has a five-year-old daughter, Eve, and his wife Natasha is pregnant.
He was wearing a lifejacket when the incident happened but hit difficulties as he became colder and more exhausted.
He added: “By the time I reached the shore, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t clench my hands or move them or anything. Everything happened so fast I didn’t really have time to think about it.”
He added: “It hasn’t put me off – maybe it has slowed me up a bit and I wouldn’t take as many risks now. It could have been so much worse.”
The capsized boat was recovered and is now on the driveway of his home.