A HAMPSHIRE sailor died after stumbling off a pontoon into the freezing waters of a marina, an inquest has heard.

Southampton Coroner's Court heard Michael Holt's body was found floating in Ocean Village marina in Southampton, near to the Harbour Lights cinema.

The court was told Mr Holt had been staying on his boat in themarina for a few nights.

CCTV cameras captured the 58-year-old walking down onto pontoon P on the evening of November 15.

Detective Constable Claire Westover told the court it was believed he had been walking to the toilets near to the Harbour Lights cinema.

Mr Holt, a sailing instructor and offshore yachtsman, was not seen again that night, and his wife Annie could not get through to him on his mobile phone.

His body was discovered the following morning on November 16, last year.

Passer-by Stephen Walker, and another boat owner attempted to drag Mr Holt's body out of thewater but couldn't because it was too heavy.

Instead he threaded a hose under Mr Holt's arms to keep him afloat until police officers arrived.

Det Con Westover said that although there were no witnesses, it was believed that Mr Holt had fallen off the pontoon on the way back to his boat.

She added that the water had been so cold that no one would have been able to survive for long.

Pathologist Dr Bruce Addis told the court thatMr Holt had 279mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood when he fell, more than three times the drink- drive limit.

He added that Mr Holt, of Jenkins Close, Botley, died of drowning.

Southampton coroner Keith Wiseman said: "This was a very unexpected and tragic event. Although we will never know exactly what happened, there seems to be little doubt that Mr Holt simply fell in to the water and was unable to do anything to protect himself."

A verdict of accidental death was recorded.