A post mortem examination into the death of a 38-year-old man who died in the River Stour has proved inconclusive.

Now further tests will be carried out to establish how Carl Lesniewicz died in the River Stour in Canterbury.

His body was pulled out of the Stour next to North Lane car park at around 3.30pm last Tuesday and he was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said they had "contact" with Mr Lesniewicz - who had worked as a teaching assistant - just hours earlier, but have refused to say why.

But their actions will be investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission following his death.

The death of Mr Lesniewicz, who the air ambulance said had also suffered head and thorax injuries, is being treated as unexplained.

He had been living with his girlfriend Jacqueline Hall in Richmond Street in Herne Bay, close to the seafront, but moved out around six months ago when they split up.

Originally from the Midlands, was thought to have been lodging with a friend in the High Street.

Mr Lesniewicz is understood to have had problems with alcohol and in November he and another man had jumped off Herne Bay Pier after a bout of drinking.

The pair had stripped to their underwear and had to be rescued by the emergency services after spending 45 minutes in the water.

Coastguard deputy station manager Matt Stickels said the fact that they drunk so much earlier in the day may have saved them as it slowed their bodies down.

Matt Hill, an old friend of Mr Lesniewicz from Wolverhampton, said he was very sad to hear of his death.

"He had a tragic upbringing after his parents were killed in a car accident when he was just a young teenager..." - friend Matt Hill

He said: "Carl was a housemate of mine and one of a group of mates who used to go to concerts and generally hang out together.

"He was actually a very good guitarist himself and for a while we formed a band and did a few local gigs.

"He was always laughing and had a kind word for everyone. But he had a tragic upbringing after his parents were killed in a car accident when he was just a young teenager.

"He was then placed with foster parents, but I think he had a falling out and ran away.

"Work-wise, he just did bits and bobs, including some voluntary work with young people. He loved anything to do with music. He also worked at a holiday park in the south of France for a while."

Sales assistant Mr Hill added: "About 12 years ago he moved south, but the rest of us stayed up here and after a while we lost touch.

"But I did hear that he was upset that he had split up with his girlfriend a while ago."

Mr Lesniewicz's death in Canterbury last week is still being treated as unexplained.

There was talk in the Westgate area that Mr Lesniewicz's death was linked to a fight which happened in St Dunstan's Street earlier that day.

But police said they are not linking them and the death is not being treated as suspicious, but they are trying to discover how it happened.

The benches next to the Westgate Towers are a notorious hangout for street drinkers.

A police spokesman said today: "The results of the post mortem examination hasn’t established a cause of death, therefore further tests are being carried out.

"Officers are still treating the death as unexplained and would urge anyone who may have been in the area on the afternoon of Tuesday 9 September and saw anything that could assist officers to get in touch."

Anyone with information should contact Kent Police on 01227 868060 quoting incident reference number 09-880. Alternatively, please call Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.