A CORONER recorded an open verdict yesterday on the death of a pensioner, who was pulled from a river hours after threatening to drown himself.

James Kinchin, 79, confided in a friend on December 18 last year, that he was severely depressed and felt like ending it all.

David King, of Catterick Village, was so concerned he drove to Richmond, where Mr Kinchin lived, to be sure the retired boilerman was safe.

But, when he arrived at the falls in the shadow of the town's castle, he could see him close to the edge of the water on the opposite bank.

When Mr Kinchin failed to answer his shouts, Mr King borrowed a mobile phone from a passer-by to dial 999.

He then decided to drive to the other side of the river to reach his friend, a journey which took ten minutes, but police were already there when he arrived. Mr Kinchin, meanwhile, had vanished.

Officers helping in the hunt found footprints, which led to the edge of the water where they found Mr Kinchin's walking stick.

A passer-by spotted his body in the river a few hours later.

At the inquest at Richmond Magistrates Court yesterday, Coroner Jeremy Cave said there was no evidence to prove Mr Kinchin of Holly Hill, Richmond, haad thrown himself into the River Swale.

He said: "It is not uncommon for people to leave notes in these circumstances but he did not.

"I could record a verdict that Mr Kinchin took his own life or that he died in an accident, but neither would accurately reflect what happened that day, so I am going to record an open verdict.''