Stove likely cause of boat death

AN INQUEST at Oxford Coroner's Court heard it was likely the fire causing the death of live-aboard boater Kevin Prior was started by his wood-burning stove.

His remains were discovered on his burnt-out narrowboat on the 16th of November last year, Alan Tilbury reveals.

Could not identify

His narrowboat, Lady of the Lake, moored in the city on the Oxford Canal was so destroyed that the police could not at first identify his remains, and it was only later that this was possible.

The 49 years old had moved on to the boat some five years previously, and there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.