A TEENAGER drowned in a lock on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal whilst shadow boxing near its edge.
The inquest into the death of Sean Stevens learned that he was shadow boxing with a friend by Bilford Top Lock in Worcester, when getting closer and closer to its edge, slipped and fell into the lock, Alan Tilbury tells us.
Edged closer and closer
Sean and his friend, 17 years old Ryan Scott, had joined others in Worcester and had 'drunk quite a bit' and headed to the canal and began shadow boxing, with a witness telling that the two edged closer and closer towards its edge, with an accidental blow sending him backwards towards the lock and into the water.
A 20 years old Mr Telford, one of the friends, dashed towards the lock keepers cottage for help, but of course no lock keeper, but he spotted a lifebuoy and threw it in the water, but seeing he was in difficulty climbed down the lock ladder, but could do little, though Ryan's family thanked him for attempting to save their son's life.
Drowning
The findings of the post-mortem that was conducted by Home Office pathologist Dr Alexander Kolar concluded that Mr Stevens died as a result of the consequences of initially resuscitated drowning.
The inquest heard that Sean had alcohol in his blood as well as a ‘significant amount' of cannabis and a small amount of ecstasy, with it finding a verdict of accidental death.
From the evidence at the inquest it would appear the lock was around half full.