Norfolk windsurfer Chris Bamfield died doing something he loved

Chris Bamfield, 65, disappeared windsurfing in Norfolk in November

A windsurfer who went missing and whose body was found in Sweden died "doing something he loved", his son told an inquest.

Chris Bamfield, 65, did not return home after windsurfing in Hunstanton, Norfolk on 14 November, with his body found at Stora Korno Island on 6 April.

Ashton Bamfield said his father's disappearance and the days after were "the worst days of our lives".

Norfolk coroner Yvonne Blake said his death by drowning was accidental.

Mr Bamfield had recently rekindled his love of windsurfing, having retired as executive director at King's Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council during the Covid pandemic.

He left home in Middleton, near King's Lynn, properly equipped for windsurfing, with wife Vanessa calling 999 at 17:20 GMT when he did not return, the inquest heard.

CCTV in Hunstanton showed Mr Bamfield attaching the sail to the board, and then heading to the beach and sea at 13:50.

A search by sea and air, encompassing The Wash, was called off the following day when his board and sail were found 21 miles (33km) off the Norfolk coast.

Police patrols continued at Hunstanton, in case Mr Bamfield washed ashore, the inquest was told.

His DNA profile was put on the missing persons database, and, months later, it was used to identify a body found on Stora Korno Island on Sweden's North Sea coast, north of Gothenburg.

King's Lynn Town Hall and the Corn Exchange were lit up red in Mr Bamfield's memory on the day of his funeral

In a statement read in court on his behalf, Ashton Bamfield said his father's positivity was a "beacon of hope" and he had encouraged others to "live life in the moment".

"He was a truly amazing man, and we are so proud of him and all he achieved in life," he said.

The distance between Hunstanton and Stora Korno is nearly 600 miles (965km), as the crow flies.

On the day of Mr Bamfield's funeral, a minute's silence was held by the council, and civic buildings in King's Lynn were lit up to "bring life to his memory" as he had "brought light to the town", his family said at the time.