Witnesses’ no-show sparks adjournment

AN inquest into the death of a Runcorn man believed to have fallen from the Silver Jubilee Bridge has been adjourned after it transpired that two potentially key witnesses had not been called.

Evidence had been due to be heard on Tuesday in order to seek to establish the facts surrounding how Neil McDonald, 43, of Churchill Mansions, Cooper Street, came to die.

Claire Hammond, area coroner for Cheshire, adjourned the matter after it was brought to her attention that Mr McDon- ald’s girlfriend of two years Pamela QuinnMarsh and his 19-year-old son Lewis McDonald had not been asked to attend.

The inquest heard the son had not been asked because of his age and his girlfriend because the police officer investigating the fall had no means of contacting her.

Relatives said they would be happy to provide Miss Quinn-Marsh’s number.

Miss Hammond adjourned the matter, remarking that the circumstances for putting it back to another date were ‘quite regrettable’.

She said they may have been able to shed light on his state of mind.

The inquest had heard Mr McDonald Sr had borrowed money from his son a couple of days before his death. Before the absences came to light, the inquest heard a post mortem had found Mr McDonald had died from ‘multiple injuries’.

There was no alcohol in his blood and 70 milligrams per decilitre (mg/dl) in his urine, lower than the UK driving limit of 100 mg/dl.

Medications such as paracetamol and mirtazapine in his system were at therapeutic quantities.

The inquest heard it was believed he may have ‘jumped’ from the bridge.

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Help can also be sought by contacting a general practitioner or the NHS non-emergency number 111.

Residents who see someone in potential emergency crisis can call 999.