A YOUNG artist originally from Taunton has died after being found unresponsive in the sea.

Bethany Skinner, aged 22, was pulled from the water in Bognor Regis at around 2.25am on Sunday after spending the previous evening in a nightclub.

She was rushed in a critical condition to hospital, where she died on Tuesday (February 25).

Police have launched an investigation and appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Bethany is known to have walked along the promenade towards the Butlin's resort, but police are trying to establish how she ended up entering the water in the dark.

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: “A woman who was pulled from the water near Bognor Pier in the early hours of Sunday morning, February 24, has sadly died.

“She has been identified as Bethany Skinner, aged 22 from Bognor.

“She was taken to St Richard’s Hospital in a critical condition and passed away there on Tuesday, February 25.

“Police are investigating the circumstances of how she went into the sea after spending Saturday evening at Sheiks nightclub on the pier.

“Anyone who saw her go into the water or has any information about it should contact police online at sussex.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us/ or ring 101 quoting Operation Palladium.”

Another man who went into the water to try and assist Bethany was also taken to hospital for a check-up but was later discharged.

Bethany had visited Sheiks nightclub earlier in the night, and the club released a statement on the incident on social media.

It said: “The club staff were involved in an incident trying to rescue a female who had got into difficulties after entering the sea in the early hours of the morning.

“The female had visited the venue and left around 2am, leaving with the same person that she arrived with, which we understand to be her friend.

“The female in question left the pier area and walked along the promenade towards Butlin's, although it is unclear how shortly after this she ended up entering the water.

“The security team and club management were alerted to the female being in the sea by the friend, emergency services were called immediately and club staff frantically searched the water to try and locate and rescue her.”

A relative posted a tribute to Bethany on Facebook, saying: "(We) would like to share with Beth’s loved ones that under tragic circumstances Bethany Jane sadly passed away yesterday surrounded with her family.

“We are absolutely heartbroken, Beth was such an amazing, talented lovely beautiful girl with her whole life ahead of her. Life is so unfair. Rest in peace gorgeous, you are safe now.”

Bethany was a talented artist who said on her website: "My focus as an artist lays with sculpture and nature, drawing attention to the shapes, patterns, fluidity and movement found in natural objects and landscapes.

"My ideas stem from a personal interest into the environment, a place where I feel peace and inspiration. I love the idea of nature and sculpture harmonizing together and complementing each other."

She added that she created sculpture from natural 'raw' materials such as plants, willow, sheep wool and moss, giving her work "an element of sustainability".

Flowers have been placed on The Bridge, next to Zinc nightclub in the centre of Taunton.

A friend, who asked not to be named, said: "Please, let's get Taunton remembering this fantastic girl who lived her short life to the full."