Inquest opens into death of much-loved grandad found after two-month search

Prof Dr Alan Walsh formally opened the inquiry into the death of 55-year-old Peter Baglin at Bolton Coroner’s Court.

It heard his provisional medical cause of death was the combined effects of drowning, hypothermia, acute alcohol intoxication and ketoacidosis.

The short hearing was adjourned and a full inquest will be held on December 19.

Mr Baglin was reported missing when he did not return home from a walk along the towpath of the Bridgewater Canal in Boothstown on Wednesday, December 28.

The last confirmed sighting of him was on CCTV footage at a petrol station on the A580 East Lancashire Road, in Mosley Common, that evening.

His belongings were found on the canal towpath the next morning and a large search was launched to find Mr Baglin.

Police officers and underwater divers carried out extensive searches of the canal, between the Moorings in Boothstown and Astley Point, and mountain rescue teams combed the adjoining fields and woodland areas.

Mr Baglin’s body was finally found on Saturday, March 4 when police returned to the canal for a fresh search.

There were not thought to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, so a file was passed to the coroner for an inquest.

After this death, his wife Michelle said: “When I think of Pete, I think of him as my best buddy and after being together almost 30 years, we complemented each other perfectly.

“He was a fantastic father, grandfather and great-grandfather to our three children, our four grandchildren and our great-grandchild.”