A heroic fisherman from Weymouth who saved his crew when his boat was blown up by an unexploded Second World War bomb tragically died after suffering from PTSD, an inquest has heard.

Lewis Mulhearn, 39, suffered serious injuries in the explosion that happened as his vessel sailed over a German Luftwaffe bomb on the seabed in the North Sea.

One of the crab pots disturbed the device causing a shockwave and gas explosion that threw the 42ft fishing boat Galwad-Y-Mor into the air.

Mr Mulhearn suffered head injuries, three broken vertebrae, a broken sternum, knee damage, a broken orbital bone and multiple facial lacerations.

Despite this he co-ordinated the rescue of his six crew mates, who were also badly hurt, by launching a life raft and lifting them into it.

Dorset Echo: The force of the blast sent the 42-foot Galwad-Y-Mor vessel (pictured) into the air and left Mr Mulhearn with head injuries, three broken vertebrae, a broken sternum, knee damage, a broken orbital bone and multiple facial lacerationsThe force of the blast sent the 42-foot Galwad-Y-Mor vessel (pictured) into the air and left Mr Mulhearn with head injuries, three broken vertebrae, a broken sternum, knee damage, a broken orbital bone and multiple facial lacerations (Image: BNPS)

He was presented with the Emile Robin Award from the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society by Princess Anne for his heroic actions.

But his wife Jodie said the December 2020 incident left the father-of-three mentally scarred and he was 'never the same again'.

He endured regular night terrors and insomnia.

Mr Mulhearn was found dead at his home in Weymouth on January 21, 2023.

The Bournemouth inquest heard that in the days before his death he had seemed in good spirits.

He had previously confided in his brother that he was having problems with his mental health.

In a statement, Mrs Mulhearn said: "He valued family life and the company of our children. He would dance with them in the kitchen and he enjoyed playing the guitar.

"In December 2020, he was involved in an explosion at sea. He did return to sea following the bomb.

"He was in pain physically and mentally but never fully recovered.

"It left him suffering from PTSD.

"He found it difficult to sleep and suffered from night terrors. He never had a full night's sleep.

"He found it hard to talk about. He was never the same after that day."

The explosion happened 20 miles north of Cromer, Norfolk, on December 15, 2020.

The crew had been hauling a crab string to the surface with about 100 crab pots attached from 100ft below.

Mr Mulhearn's Emile Award citation, describes his selfless actions in detail from his quick assessment of the situation to carrying injured crewmates onto rescue boats.

Throughout the 'extremely perilous incident' the skipper battled through his own serious injuries to send a distress signal and launch the vessel's life raft.

It reads: "Despite having received a significant blow to his head, which left him dazed, the skipper swiftly took stock of the situation, with it rapidly becoming apparent that four of his crew were also severely injured.

"The wheelhouse had been decimated by the explosion, as had the vessel's hull and internal machinery."

The bomb was a SC250 device that were widely used during the Blitz of London in World War Two.

It is believed to have been dropped by a German bomber aircraft on Allied shipping lanes in the North Sea in the early 1940s.

About 10 per cent of WW2 ordnance in the sea is reportedly still unexploded, remaining hazardous to fishermen.

* Anyone struggling with mental health issues should contact the Samaritans on 116 123.