Man on River Teign walk with wife-to-be slipped and drowned

On the River Teign between Clifford's Bridge and Fingle Bridge
-Credit: (Image: Gerry Rendle)


A scene of tragedy unfolded at a renowned beauty spot when a 69-year-old Torquay man fell or slipped into a river and was swept away before he could be pulled back to safety. By the time Anthony Coombes, a retired lorry driver, better known as Tony, was recovered from the River Teign in Drewsteignton he had drowned, an inquest heard.

He had been walking along the river edge on March 19, while his partner was on an embankment about half a meter above him but said she had not seen him fall because they had agreed to retrace their steps after she became concerned for his safety. The inquest at Exeter Coroner’s Court today, October 3, heard that despite her best efforts to reach him, and the assistance of a fellow walker, he was unable to be rescued.

Those tragic last moments were retold by Mr Coombes's partner Elizabeth Marchant in a heartbreaking statement. She how they met in 2009 and had planned to get married this year.

She described Mr Coombes as a ‘happy person’ and said he had been in good spirits on March 19, when they parked up late in the morning to walk through Fingle Woods towards Clifford Bridge. She recalled he had been ‘upbeat, chatty and happy’.

During their walk, she said he went down an embankment towards the river edge but her mobility issues prevented her from joining him so they continued along different paths in the same direction. She recalled her route became trickier and when they reached an area without trees she noticed the ground Mr Coombes was walking on 'did not seem stable'.

The plan had been to go back and meet back on the same path, but as Miss Marchant was walking, she said she shouted back at Mr Coombes to check on him but received no reply. Concerned, she went back to where she last saw him and discovered he was in the water.

She recalled: “I panicked as the river was running fast. I went down the embankment on my bottom and used both hands to grab hold of Tony’s feet. I tried to pull him from the water but he was too heavy.

“The water was running fast due to the rainfall we had over the previous days. The water was very cold and deep.”

She continued: “I told him to reach his hand to mine using his right hand to reach but as he did so his body turned slightly to the left. The force of the water hit Tony’s right side suddenly dislodging him and took him down the river.”

Miss Marchant rang 999 and was eventually able to find fellow walkers who tried to assist but were not able to get to Mr Coombes in time. His death was confirmed at 4.10pm.

Police investigating office DC Rachael Delaney confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances and said the puffa jacket and rucksack he was wearing became very heavy after getting water-logged.

She said that after his body was recovered, she was 'surprised' by how heavy his jacket was and said the weight was 'similar' to a completely soaked duvet. The medical cause of his death was drowning.

Recording a conclusion of accidental death, assistant coroner Luisa Nicholson said: "It is unknown how he came to be there [in the river] but it seems likely he tripped or slipped. His clothing, which included a puffa jacket and backpack, became saturated in the cold water and it resulted in him being too heavy to be dragged out or lifted."

She concluded: "On the balance of probabilities, Tony’s death was accidental with the fall he suffered being responsible for his death."