A British man is feared dead after he was reportedly thrown from a banana boat at the Santa Clara Dam in Portugal on Monday.

Richard Chapelow had been a guest of Jon Hunt, the billionaire founder of the Foxtons estate agency.

Mr Hunt said: "My family and I are devastated by the loss of Richard...it is a time of great sorrow."

The Foreign Office confirmed it was assisting the family of a British man reported missing in Portugal.

Mr Chapelow - believed to be 29 and from London - visited the area, an hour north of the Algarve region, with a group of 10 other Britons, according to local reports.

Local volunteer fire chief Mario Batista told Portuguese media four people were on a banana boat with another six on a boat towing the inflatable.

One rider disappeared after all four were thrown from the float, he said.

The Hunt family said they were "devastated by the loss of Richard, following a tragic accident at Santa Clara Dam."

"Our thoughts and prayers are wholly with Richard's family, and we ask that both families are given space to grieve such a painful loss.

"We will be working closely with the Portuguese authorities to understand what has happened, and are grateful to the local police and fire services for their efforts."