Two drown within a month in Wigan Flight

Published: Friday, 26 February 2021

TWO people have drowned in the Wigan Flight in a month.

An inquest into the death of Mikey Greenall, 27,who drowned by Lock 77 in the Leeds & Liverpool Canal heard that another drowning took place just yards away when Matt Dutton, 22, drowned one month earlier, Alan Tilbury reports.

wigan flightBountySecond drowning

Mikey Greenall fell in the waterway near Lock 77 on the flight on the evening of 18th September last year. This occurred just four weeks after Matt Dutton, 22, died after falling in and drowning near Lock 79 on the flight.

A senior coroner is now writing a letter of concern after the two men drowned just yards from one another within the space of a month.

The court heard how Mikey Greenall had finished work at around noon on 18th September, then 'enjoyed a pint' before going home.

Had an argument

Later in the evening, together with Miss Inch, the couple went to the Whitesmith's Arms pub where they had an argument about him spending too much time on the fruit machines.

Miss Ince told that Mr Greenall walked off and that she presumed he would go to his mum's or a friend's house, as he often did after arguments, but she reported him missing in the morning when he did not return home.

The police found Mr Greenall's body in the canal on 23rd September.

resposibility1Drank around seven pints

Police coroner's officer, Stefan Wilson, told the court that on the day of his death, Mr Greenall had taken several diazepam tablets and drank around seven pints.

Following a post mortem, Dr Naveen Sharma recorded the cause of death as drowning, explaining:

"By reason of the deceased self-induced intoxication, he became incapacitated, confused and disoriented when attempting to walk to an acquaintance's house, falling in a canal and drowning.

Want barriers and lighting

Miss Ince told the court that a petition has been set up to try and get barriers or lighting put up along the canal.