Man who died swimming in Woodchester Park lake named

An inquest into Paul Byrnes' death has been adjourned

A man who died while swimming in a lake in National Trust parkland been named.

Paul Byrnes, 40, from Nailsworth did not resurface after entering Woodchester Park lake, near Stroud in Gloucestershire, on 10 June.

Mr Byrnes' body was recovered during a search and rescue operation by police and the fire service later that day.

A fundraising page set up to help his family said he would "be hugely missed by so many".

Matt Teakle, who set up the page, said: "Truly devastating news to hear we lost our amazing friend Paul Byrnes aka 'Bonehead'.

"Paul was the kindest and funniest person I knew and loved by so many people."

An inquest into Mr Byrnes' death has been adjourned to a date yet to be fixed.

His death has led to warnings about the dangers of lakes at the site and a reminder that swimming is not permitted there..

Hidden dangers

A National Trust spokesperson said the lakes were "deep, cold and hide many dangers".

"In addition, mobile phone coverage is poor and it is not easy to call help quickly," they added.

Local councillors Steve Robinson and Ashley Smith issued a joint statement calling for an urgent meeting between local authorities following Mr Byrnes' death.

"The problem with the lakes at Woodchester Park is that there is so much debris below the surface, creating a very dangerous place to swim in," they wrote.