British surfer first to win big wave award

Cornish surfer Tom Lowe has become the first Briton to win Surfer of the Year at the international Big Wave Challenge awards after recovering from a near-fatal accident.

The award was presented at a ceremony in Los Angeles just over a year since he suffered severe head trauma during a wipeout at Teahupo'o in Tahiti.

Lowe, 42, who is originally from St Ives, was also nominated for ride of the year for a wave he surfed at Mullaghmore in Ireland.