A "wonderful dad" remembered as a “true gentleman” drowned accidentally in a pond in his back garden, an inquest heard.
Colin Parr, 60, was found dead at home on Whickham Close in Upton Rocks, Widnes, by his wife Sharon on Saturday, January 29, as she returned home from a night staying at her daughter’s house. An inquest at Warrington Coroner’s Court on Tuesday heard Colin was submerged in the pond with his foot tangled in a mesh web covering.
Scratch marks showed where he had struggled to pull himself out. The inquest heard he had been home alone and “pottering” about and relaxing in his garden the evening before, January 28.
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Heath Westerman, assistant coroner for Cheshire, read evidence from Dr Cheng Li, pathologist, who conducted a post-mortem examination with reference to toxicology test findings from Donna Cameron, toxicologist.
Dr Li found the primary cause of death to be drowning, with “excessive consumption of alcohol” and left ventricular hypertrophy - a type of heart problem - as contributing secondary factors.
A statement from Colin’s wife Sharon said Colin was an electrical engineer who usually worked away on an oil rig, working two weeks on and two weeks off. She said Colin had completed helicopter survival training as part of the role and underwent regular health checks.
Sharon last saw him on January 28 at 4pm and received a message two hours later from him to say he was ordering their daughter a takeaway “on his card as a treat”.
He said he was “pottering around the garden, as he enjoyed doing this in his spare time” and he was going to spend the evening in the garden “relaxing with a glass of wine”. Colin had expressed interest in going for a bike ride the next day either on his motorbike or bicycle.
Sharon found him the next morning submerged in the pond, which was elevated from ground level, and she called the emergency services. She had no concerns of any possible intent from Colin to take his own life and he had been planning his retirement and their life together.
Colin’s family told police he said he “used to sit outside and drink by himself and sit by the koi carp pond to look at the fish”.
DS Reeves concluded there were “no suspicious circumstances behind his death and no third party involvement, and in all likelihood his death would have been caused by drowning”.
Mr Westerman recorded a conclusion that Colin Joseph Parr, born in Liverpool in 1961 and an engineer by occupation, died due to drowning and his death was “accidental”. During his summary, he said: “He died as a result of drowning.
“There was no evidence of any intent to self harm, therefore my conclusion in the circumstances is one of an accidental death.”
The coroner reiterated his condolences to Colin’s family.
He said: “I’m really very sorry for your loss and the circumstances of losing Colin.
“I hope that you remember him for the man he was and not perhaps the manner in which he sadly passed away.”
A social media post from Colin’s family in the days following his tragic death said they were “heartbroken” by the loss of their “dear and wonderful dad and husband”.
It said: “There are no words to say how devastated we all are, but we have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for him.
“He has impacted so many lives over the years and we are so grateful to be able to share memories and hear how much everyone cared for him.”
Well-wishers, friends and former colleagues, paid tribute to Colin, remembering him as a “true gentleman”, a “genuine nice bloke”, a “fantastic man” and a “top fella” with a “smile that everyone remembers”.
The inquest was held by Warrington Coroner's Court, sitting at the main Warrington Town Hall building.
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