Death of grandad whose body was found almost ten weeks after vanishing was 'tragic accident'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The death of a much-loved great grandad who went missing for almost ten weeks was a 'tragic accident', a coroner has ruled. Peter Baglin, from Boothstown, vanished from home on December 28 last year and was missing for almost ten weeks before his body was eventually uncovered in boggy undergrowth at the bottom of a steep embankment near the Bridgewater Canal towpath.

An inquest into his death at Bolton Coroner's Court on Tuesday (December 19) heard how the 55-year-old had gone out for a walk on the evening of December 28, heading to a petrol station on the East Lancashire Road to buy a small bottle of whisky, where he was captured on CCTV. READ MORE Passengers stuck in Tenerife after 'chaotic' 24-hour flight delay as plane back to Manchester suddenly diverts READ MORE '£5 for a pancake is just unsustainable': The Manchester Christmas Market traders fighting for survival The court heard how he wasn't seen again, but spoke to his wife Michelle Baglin over the phone minutes later, at around 7.45pm, telling her he would 'be home soon' and was out on a walk 'listening to music'.

After failing to return home overnight, Peter was reported as missing by his family the next day and a large search ensued, involving officers from Greater Manchester Police along with dogs and helicopters, the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and specialist water search teams, as well as the local community - to no avail.

The inquest heard that the following morning, a woman walking her dog approached officers at the scene and told them that the evening before, at around 10pm, she had witnessed a man 'crawling along the towpath' on all fours and 'retching'.