The body of a man was lifted out of the Llangollen canal by the occupants of a canal narrowboat, it was revealed at the opening of an inquest.

The man was later identified as 55-year-old Thomas Evans, of Bodlyn, Acrefair, near Wrexham.

At a brief hearing in County Hall, Ruthin John Gittins, coroner for North Wales East and Central, said the police were called when the canal users found his body near the Canal Wood tunnel, Chirk, on the morning of October 31. He was fully clothed and had no unusual marks or injuries to his body.

Mr Evans’ partner Ceri Edwards told police she had last seen him the previous afternoon and that he often used the canal towpath.

She said he was a regular user of cocaine and alcohol, and could have been drinking the day before.

A post-mortem examination was carried out by Dr Mark Atkinson but he deferred a decision on the cause of death pending toxicology tests.

The inquest was adjourned to a full hearing on a date to be fixed.