Man drowned trying to rescue dog's ball at Aberdovey

A 48-year-old man accidentally died after trying to retrieve a dog's ball from the sea at Aberdyfi in Gwynedd, a coroner has ruled.

Nicholas Hugh Waller from Malvern in Worcestershire was on holiday at Aberdovey in Gwynedd, with his wife Karen, in November 2011.

At the hearing in Dolgellau, coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said it was clear Mr Waller was pulled down by the weight of his clothing.

A verdict of accidental death was made.

Mrs Waller told the coroner that she was on the beach with her husband and their Labrador dog.

They threw two balls for the dog and one went into the sea.

The dog went after the one on the beach and Mr Waller went into the water to try to retrieve the second ball.

Mrs Waller said her husband was wearing heavy clothing and Wellington boots.

She said she thought the last words her husband spoke were 'my clothing is too heavy'.

Mrs Waller said she turned back and her husband was floating face down in the water.

The director of an optician company was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem examination revealed the cause of death was drowning.

Mr Pritchard Jones returned a verdict of accident death adding that he had read of people being pulled down by the weight of their clothing.

"What happened to Mr Waller was so quick, sudden, unexpected, and accidental," he added.