The British girl, 5, swept to her death with her grandfather by a wave as they walked along the beach in Portugal

•  The girl's grandmother was also swept away but was pulled from the sea by fishermen in a boat

• The grandparents had been walking on the beach with their two grandchildren

• The younger child, a three-year-old, managed to stay on the beach and raise the alarm

• Horrified parents were on the beach but were unable to reach pair

• Neighbours said the family were very happy and well-known in the area

• Authorities said the waves were between six and ten feet high

These are the touching pictures of tragic five-year-old Lara Lewis, who was swept out to sea and killed along with her grandfather as they walked along a Portuguese beach.

The happy family photos show Lara smiling sweetly at the camera, eating cereal and being read to from a book, her blonde curls pushed back by a headband.

Lara and her grandfather Brian O'Dwyer drowned yesterday while on holiday with their family.

The girl's grandmother was also swept away by the rough seas but was later pulled out alive by fishermen sailing nearby.

Paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive Lara for almost an hour, while Mr O'Dwyer was already dead when he was recovered from the water.

A younger, three-year-old grandchild who was walking with them managed to stay on the beach and raised the alarm.

The girl’s distraught parents, who were standing on the beach, were unable to reach their relatives in time to help.

The tragedy happened shortly before 2pm at the Salgado beach in the town of Nazare, which is 80 miles north of Lisbon.

Locals said that water was often rough off the beach and that waves were between six and ten feet high when the tragedy happened.

Neighbour David Mason, a translator, said he had known Lara since she was a baby.

He said: 'I remember them bringing her home in her dad's arms and they were such a happy family.

'She was a very happy girl who would always say "hello Dave" when she saw me.

'This is terribly sad news and for a lot of people it's still sinking in.

'They were well known across the community and a lot of people are very upset by the news.'

Pictures of the scene showed firefighters crouching down in the sand in the afternoon sunshine, about to move the victims. Mr O'Dwyer's body was covered in a blue sheet.

Port Authority commander Albuquerque e Silva said: ‘An English couple were walking along the beach at Salgado by the sea with their two grandchildren.

‘They left the area watched over by lifeguards and it appears they were surprised by a wave which hit them and dragged them out to sea.

'There were two children with them, a girl of five and another child aged three. It was the three-year-old who managed to raise the alarm.'

He added: ‘The grandfather was pulled from the water but he was already dead.

‘Officers from the National Institute of Medical Emergencies also tried to revive the child, but without success.’

One report said the grandfather, 66, drowned trying to save his granddaughter’s life.

Emergency services raced to the beach, which is popular with surfers, and gave first aid to the grandmother.