Canal boat crush death was an accident - coroner

Devizes is well known for its many locks along the canal, including the Caen Hill flight

The death of a retired pharmacist crushed between a canal boat and dock was an accident, a coroner has concluded.

Margaret Billings, 78, from Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, was on a boating trip with friends and family when she died along the Kennet and Avon Canal, in Devizes, on 27 June last year.

In a written statement, her husband of 51 years, Michael Billings, told Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court they had been on more than 20 trips previously and were experienced - but said he remembered his wife's cry and a splash as she fell into the water.

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and paramedics - including ones from an air ambulance - had tried to revive Ms Billings.

'Experienced and confident'

The couple were on the trip between Bradford on Avon and Devizes when the incident happened.

In the written statement, Mr Billings said they were experienced and confident in the water.

The court heard Ms Billings had been helping to moor the boat at Maton Lock, St Joseph's Place, Devizes.

She went to jump from the boat to the bank, but did not make it. However, the boat kept going forwards, crushing her, the inquest was told.

Mr Billings explained his wife had been standing about 3ft (0.9m) away from him and remembered telling her to wait. "The next thing I heard was a cry and saw splashing water," he said.

"The boat weighed about 20 tonnes and I could see it crushing the life out of Margaret."

He said it had happened very quickly - friends jumped in to pull her put of the water, which was about 4ft (1.2m) deep.

Paramedics arrived within minutes and she was pronounced dead soon after, the hearing was told.

A couple of days beforehand, she told her husband she had torn her achilles tendon and was limping but had been able to keep up when walking.

A post-mortem examination found she died from injuries consistent with being trapped between the boat and the side of the canal.

Area coroner Ian Singleton recorded a conclusion of accidental death.