Drowning victim had problems with drugs

The coroner handed down a narrative conclusion at the inquest of Christopher Lynch, 41, whose body was found washed up on the beach opposite Blackpool Tower in August, as it was impossible to prove how the dad-of-two had ended up in the water.

Mr Lynch, from Wigston, near Leicester, had been living with his father Michael for five years after splitting with his partner.

The inquest heard how he had struggled with alcohol, gambling and drugs since he was a teenager. He was treated for depression in 2006 and self-harm in 2013, and in February visited Leicester Royal Infirmary, where he was referred to his local drugs and alcohol service.

He travelled to Blackpool from his family home on August 1 and was found at around 2pm the following day by Ashley Kidd, who was walking near North Pier with his son.

A postmortem examination found the cause of death was drowning. High levels of the class B drug amphetamine were also found in his body. A police investigation later revealed a confusing note which didn’t make sense in Mr Lynch’s car that read ‘I have always wanted to always had to actually insane?’

At the inquest, which took place at Blackpool Town Hall yesterday, coroner Alan Wilson said: “Christopher will have most likely passed away some time before being found.

“It may have been a cry for help and he found the conditions when he was in the water more difficult than he anticipated. It’s also not unreasonable to consider that he may have been in the water for reasons that are entirely accidental.

“We don’t know the extent to which his mental health contributed to his actions that night, if at all.

“As a result of the amphetamine in his system, it may be that he overestimated his abilities in the water.”