Surfer breaks back in wipeout as 15m wave crashes down on him

A huge wave approaches Andrew Cotton in Nazare.

A British surfer has broken his back in a wipeout as he tackled one of the world's biggest waves.

Andrew Cotton, 36, suffered the worst injury of his professional career in the mountainous seas off Nazare in Portugal, where waves can reach almost 24 metres.

The big wave surfer was thrown from his board and slammed back-first into the water at high speed.

He is now recovering in a Portuguese hospital and already planning his return to the region after being given a good prognosis by doctors.

Posting a video on Instagram of the wipeout as he attempted to surf the wave estimated to have been 50ft high, Mr Cotton wrote: "What can I say, I got a little excited this morning and ending up having possibly the worst wipe-out impact wise of my life.

View this post on Instagram

What can I say, I got a little excited this morning and ending up having possibly the worst wipeout impact wise of my life. Thank you to all the lifeguards and crew on the beach who helped stabilise me and do a great spinal recovery, I can’t name everyone but you all did your bit to get me safely to the hospital . Obviously huge shout out to the team: @mcnamara_s for the waves, @hugovau for rescue, company and laughs in the hospital and @polvo32 for the calls on the radio and friendship . I have broken my back but I’ve been really lucky, I’m already looking forward and focusing my energy to get fit and back out there on some more big rollers ! 🌊🙌🏽🇵🇹 • Footage comes from Wednesday while @go_dids was filming a documentary about @mcnamara_s's return to big wave surfing, produced by @polikromia

A post shared by Andrew Cotton (@andrew_cotty) on Nov 8, 2017 at 10:50am PST

He added: "Thank you to all the lifeguards and crew on the beach who helped stabilise me and do a great spinal recovery, I can't name everyone but you all did your bit to get me safely to the hospital."

I have broken my back but I've been really lucky, I'm already looking forward and focusing my energy to get fit and back out there on some more big rollers."

His wife Katie Cotton, 41, was in Portugal with Andrew and their two children, but returned home to Braunton in North Devon last week.

She said she had a sleepless night following his fall, but knew he would already be itching to get back in the water.

Mrs Cotton said: "He's had an MRI scan and X-rays, his got a break in his lower back. It seems like there is a good prognosis for a rapid recovery.

"We have a really good team of support people, and we all feel like he's got good people and contact with him but we just want to get him home.

"I know that all he will be thinking about is when he can get back in the water.

"Although it's the worst thing that could happen to most people, to him its just part of what he does. It's amazing really, he trains very hard for it."

A film crew captured the incident on camera and the footage has been viewed thousands of times online.

Mr Cotton was rescued from the water and placed on a spinal board before being taken to a local hospital.

The former plumber and lifeguard said he has "always dreamed of being a big wave surfer".

He is previously credited with having surfed the world's biggest wave at Praia do Norte near Nazare.