A SOUTHAMPTON pensioner who died after falling down a cliff while on holiday had lost his way in the dark, an inquest heard.

William Bain died when he fell down a 180ft cliff on a weekend coach trip to Seaton, Devon, with his wife Joan.

Mr Bain, a grandfather and retired maritime engineer, left the couple's holiday accommodation at 5pm on November 5 last year to go for a walk before dinner. When he had not returned by 7pm, Mrs Bain became concerned and reported him as missing to police.

Emergency search teams scoured the area before finding the 70-year-old's body at the foot of Haven Cliff the next morning.

A post-mortem examination revealed he died from severe head injuries.

Mr Bain, of Sullivan Road, Sholing, had a history of anxiety and had been prescribed a series of antidepressants but his son, Stuart, 46, said he had spoken with him on the phone the previous day and he sounded "happy and said he wished he could stay in Devon longer".

Police reports of the scene indicate that no foul play was involved and Mr Bain must have lost his way due to poor light and strayed from the footpath.