A SALTERFORTH man with a long history of illness and depression drowned in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal close to his home, an inquest in Nelson heard this week.

The body of 64-year-old former driver Geoffrey Town, of Kelbrook Road, was recovered from the canal by police a week ago yesterday (Thursday).

The walking frame which he used to get around was floating nearby.

The inquest, held at Nelson Town Hall on Tuesday, heard that Mr Town had suffered from ill health for 20 years and doctors diagnosed multiple sclerosis - a degenerative disease - six years ago.

His wife, Joan, told the hearing: "He was depressed every minute of every day. He said nearly every day he wanted to die.

"He said he would go into the canal if he could get there."

However, East Lancs Coroner David Smith recorded an open verdict, saying: "There's no direct evidence that when he went out he wanted to end his life.

"There is a lot of circumstantial evidence."

The coroner was told that Mr Town's illness meant he could no longer write.

"There was no means of him leaving an explanation to what happened," commented Mr Smith.

"It may be that he slipped into the canal."

He said it appeared likely that Mr Town had intended to end his life, but no-one could be sure.

Mrs Town said on the evening before her husband's death she had gone upstairs to bed, leaving him to sleep downstairs as usual.

He had difficulty sleeping and she was not surprised to hear him moving about in the middle of the night as he often got up to make a drink.

The next morning she woke at 7.30am to find her husband missing.

The police were called and they searched the area around the house, discovering Mr Town's body floating in the centre of the canal close to the Anchor Inn.

He was wearing pyjamas, slippers, a jacket and one glove. A post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death as drowning.

PC Anthony Morris, who is based at Barnoldswick and was one of the officers called to the scene, estimated that the canal was 60 to 70 yards from the Towns' home.

"The effort of getting there must have been considerable," said the coroner.

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