A CORONER paid tribute to the efforts made by friends and the emergency services to save a 20-year-old kayaker who died in a south Cumbria river.

Cockermouth Coroner's Court heard Alistair Brown, known as 'Ali,' was a keen kayaker in his final year of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Warwick.

Mr Brown, from Southampton, had kayaked since he was 10 and was part of his university's canoe club. On the morning of September 28, Mr Brown and his two friends met in Coventry and then travelled up to Haverthwaite. 

The court heard they planned to kayak from Newby Bridge to Low Wood, which is an established kayaking route that all members of the group had undertaken before. 

At Backbarrow, which is where the most challenging grade-four section of the route is, the group stopped.

The inquest heard they surveyed the river and their equipment and had a brief chat with other kayakers. They had a missing throwline but replacements were available and coroner Kirsty Gomersal was satisfied that they were well equipped and experienced enough for the task. 

The river was in spate, a term describing a river flowing faster than usual, when they went back in the water.

Mr Brown went first, with his friends following a few seconds behind him so he could remain in their line of sight. 

They took the left route past Fisherman's Island but shortly after passing the island Mr Brown got into trouble, it was heard.

The first to respond to the incident was fellow kayaker James Bryan who told the court that he did not see what happened.

He said: "I just saw yellow, it might be his helmet. We attached a throwline as Alistair was stuck. Alistair was still talking but could not be moved."

The court heard Mr Brown had been caught on a tree, which prevented him from moving forward. His friends used many techniques to free him to no avail, the inquest heard.

Mr Bryan continued: "We kept trying but Alistair could not be moved and the boat began to sink, which is when I called 999 for help."

A multi-agency response including 16 mountain rescue team members tried to rescue Mr Brown but the court heard the steep banks of the river and the force of the water made it dangerous for emergency service personnel to attempt a rescue. Around half an hour after his boat sank, the rescue became a recovery operation. 

The tree was eventually moved after emergency personnel fixed themselves to the shore with line equipment and Mr Brown was recovered downstream. The ambulance crew gave the time of death as 4.24pm. The initial call to Cumbria Fire and Rescue was at 12.55pm. 

Toxicology found 'nothing of significance.' 

Coroner Kirsty Gomersal attributed the cause of death to drowning and called it an accident. 

Ms Gomersal said: "Alistair was a beloved son. He was an experienced and safe kayaker. It was evident that Alistair could not be rescued."

She paid tribute to his friends for doing 'all they could' and also praised the response from the emergency services.