9:09am Friday 5th February 2010
By Andy Walker
A MAN who had been celebrating his football team’s triumph over derby rivals in local pubs stumbled into a beck and drowned, an inquest was told.
Gerald Turner, from Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was found floating face down in Cod Beck, near the town centre, on the morning of September 21.
Yesterday’s inquest heard that 72-year-old Mr Turner, a widower and father-of-two, had spent much of the previous day drinking in the town.
The off-duty lorry driver was more than twice the legal drink-drive limit, tests revealed.
The ardent Manchester United supporter had watched his team play in a televised match in a pub.
He had stayed out longer than normal because he was celebrating after United had beaten rivals Manchester City in a thrilling encounter, the inquest was told.
Margaret Wren was walking her dog near the Millgate car parks on the morning of September 21, when she saw something floating in the beck.
In a statement, she said: “I saw a blue jacket or jumper lying in the beck. I looked closer, because the water in the beck was quite deep, and realised it was a body.”
Mrs Wren alerted passersby and the emergency services were called.
A police investigation into Mr Turner’s death found that there were no suspicious circumstances.
He had visited the Frankland Arms and Black Bull pubs, in Thirsk, the day before he died.
Michael Bell, manager of the Black Bull, said Mr Turner walked into the pub shortly after time was called at 11pm.
In a statement, he said: “Mr Turner was a regular and was normally in on weekends.
“I have never seen him as drunk as he was that night.”
Witness statements described how Mr Turner was seen to be unsteady on his feet in the town’s market place.
Mr Turner was born in Thirsk and lived in the town’s Dowber Way.
His youngest son, Trafford, told the inquest that his father worked away during the week and enjoyed a drink at weekends.
A post-mortem examination concluded that the cause of death was drowning. Coroner Michael Oakley recorded a verdict of accidental death.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/trade_directory/