A MAN whose body was found on Roa Island died accidentally due to drowning, an inquest heard.

Jason Goldrick was discovered on the beach in Barrow more than six weeks after he was reported missing.

Mr Goldrick, 50, was last seen on November 2 2019 by a member of the public, heading towards the Wyre Estuary in Blackpool.

He was reported missing by his brother Anthony on November 6.

His body was found on December 22 close to Barrow Lifeboat Centre.

Mr Goldrick was one of eight siblings.

According to a statement from his sister Helen Goldrick during the inquest at Cockermouth Coroner's Court, he struggled with a drug addiction and used heroin and spice.

She also mentioned how he had suicidal thoughts especially after the death of their mother.

Detective Inspector Sanderson provided the inquest with a report detailing the events leading up to when Mr Goldrick was last seen.

“Jason and his brother Anthony lived together at Park Road in Blackpool,” the report said.

“The conditions they lived in were not ideal and they performed low level crime to support their addictions.

“The family informed police (Jason) was having seizures with an unknown cause and he visited Blackpool Victoria Hospital on two occasions before he went missing.

“On the second visit on November he had refused hospital treatment and was escorted off the site after being confrontational with staff. Instead of going home he went in the opposite direction.

“He later attended Fairfield Farm in the rural area of Poulton-le-Fylde where he had released some of the animals.

“The owner said he appeared disorientated and murmured something about Park Road.”

The police report went on to say that Jason appeared to have made his way back into Poulton centre.

The last sighting of him was when he was heading towards the River Wyre.

His body was found at Roa Island by Darren Cavan.

In a statement, Mr Cavan said: “We had set off towards Roa Island at 1pm and planned to eat at the sailing club.

“When we had tied up and gone towards the club I could see a white object which I thought was a seal.

"Upon a second look I thought it was a body.”

The post-mortem findings agreed with the police report assessment which detected no evidence of third party involvement or suspicious circumstances.

Due to the decomposition, a toxicology test could not be carried out. The cause of death was given as drowning, which was accepted by coroner Kirsty Gomersal.

In her conclusion, she said: “I believe he entered the Wyre unintentionally. There is no evidence of how he entered the river. I can find no evidence that he intended to take his own life and no suspicious circumstances.

“This was an accidental death caused by drowning.”