MYSTERY surrounds the death of an 84-year-old man who had gambling debts, an inquest heard.

Police discovered pensioner Ted Loom's trusty walking stick on a grass verge close to where he was struck by a car and died from multiple injuries.

Moments before, witnesses had described seeing him crouching in the dark and rain on the unlit A1085 Coast Road at Marske, east Cleveland.

Yesterday, police crash investigator PC Derrick Walton told an inquest in Middlesbrough no criticism could be attached to the driver of the car, 54-year-old Geoffrey Powell.

PC Walton said: "There is no obvious reason why Mr Loom went to cross the road at that particular point.

"The fact he left his walking stick on the grass verge makes it more difficult to understand.''

He told the inquest: "The deceased had serious financial problems that were causing him concern and may have affected his thoughts on the day of the incident.''

Susan Sowerby, Mr Loom's stepdaughter, had described her father as "not quite compus mentis'', and prone to erratic behaviour.

She told the inquest her step father used to spend hours gambling on the Internet on his computer.

Mr Loom, whose wife died three years ago, had difficulty walking, and met his death a mile from his home in The Avenue, Redcar, on December 6 last year.

In a telephone conversation with Mrs Sowerby, three weeks before he died, Mr Loom told her: "Susan, I'm broke.

"I am trying to do a job on the Internet and am finding it very difficult.''

The day before he died, Mr Loom had unsuccessfully attempted to open an account with a bank at Redcar.

Assistant Deputy Teesside Coroner Tony Eastwood said: "There are mysteries associated with this inquest which cause me some concern.''

Recording an open verdict, Mr Eastwood said: "I am not satisfied it was an accident or satisfied by standards of law Mr Loom intended to take his life."