THE death of a Southampton man while on holiday in Portugal will remain a mystery, an inquest heard.

John Evans, 74, was found dead in a camper van while on holiday at campsite near Albufeira, Portugal.

A post-mortem examination in Portugal found he had choked on his own vomit but the circumstances that led to the death remain unclear.

And further tests on the body were not possible because of the process it went through to be returned to England.

His daughter Lesley Couzens, of Hedge End, told the inquest Mr Evans had previously developed a brain tumour but had successful surgery and had been told it was no longer a threat.

Coroner Grahame Short said the choking in March could have been caused by a fall or excess drinking but there was no clear evidence of how it occurred.

He said: “The evidence in this case is not satisfactory. I cannot be satisfied that this is due to natural causes and there is no evidence of an accident.

“I have to record an open verdict unless any other evidence comes to light in the future as to precisely what happened.”

Mr Evans was a retired metal worker who lived in Shakespeare Avenue, Portswood.