Parents pay tribute to son who drowned off West Bay

A verdict of accidental death was recorded by West Dorset Coroner Michael Johnston in the case of Marcus Welfare, 19, who drowned in rough seas in May.

An inquest heard that Marcus, an IT technician from Morden in Surrey, was on holiday with his father and had swum in the bay on previous visits.

Robert Welfare told the inquest he and his son had returned to the friend's chalet they were staying in when Marcus decided to go for a swim.

Marcus had planned to return home the following day for a friend's wedding and wanted to make the most of the last day of his holiday, the inquest heard.

Mr Welfare said: "He was full of energy and wanted to go swimming."

He told the inquest he and his son went to the beach, where Marcus stripped down to his swimming gear and entered the water. Mr Welfare said: "He wanted me to go in with him but I said no."

He added that at the time Marcus entered the water neither of them had any worries about the weather conditions.

Mr Welfare said: "All through the day the weather had been changeable. The sun was shining and it was warm and quite pleasant and that was why we went. We weren't aware of the incoming rough weather at all."

Mr Welfare told the inquest he watched his son run in and out of the surf a few times and, on the last occasion he entered the water, he was 'standing' and not swimming.

He told the inquest: "I realised he was in trouble and ran down to the sea and told him to get out.

"He turned and said something and pointed at something. I didn't hear what he said."

The inquest heard that Mr Welfare tried to enter the water, where there was 'a strong undercurrent' to save his son but was himself knocked back by the waves.

He also told the inquest he thought he saw Marcus 'floating' face down at one point and thought he may have been knocked unconscious.

Lyme Regis lifeboat helmsman James Rice, who has 20 years' experience, told the court the seas were so rough that evening that the lifeboat that had been launched to assist in the search was unable to help from the water.

He told the inquest that the shingle Marcus was stood on would have acted 'like quicksand' and dragged him down.

PC Drew Manton of Bridport Police, told the inquest that by the time he had arrived at the beach from the police station the weather had changed dramatically.

He said: "The call came in and it was a warm, sunny evening, a little bit fresh but nothing untoward."

This changed by the time he arrived at the beach. He said: "The wind almost took my breath away."

He added that when he arrived, a crowd had gathered on the beach and his main concern became looking after Robert Welfare who he could see was 'shivering badly'.

PC Manton put Mr Welfare in a silver lifesaving wrap and into his police car with the heating on.

Marcus' body was later recovered from the water and an autopsy conducted at Dorset County Hospital found the cause of death to be 'salt water drowning'.

Marcus' mother Celia questioned the strength of the warning given on signs at West Bay at the inquest.

She asked if they could be worded more strongly or made more prominent in some other way.

Mr Johnston told the inquest that Dorset County Council and the Royal Naval Lifeboat Institute had already begun 'a review of coastal signs' before the tragedy occurred.

After the inquest Marcus' parents paid tribute to a fun-loving son.

Mrs Welfare said: "There's so much I could say about him.

"He was very perceptive, funny and generous and he was a wonderful, enormously loved son."

Mr Welfare said: "He was very well-loved and extremely non-critical."

At the inquest, Mr Johnston expressed his sadness at the death.

He told the family: "It's a terrible tragedy and I'm terribly sorry."

He also praised the care shown to Mr Welfare by the PC Manton and the bravery of the RNLI crew who tried to save Marcus.