A RETIRED sailing instructor with a history of depression was found drowned in the River Medway, an inquest ws told.

Arthur Woods, 71, of Wallbridge Lane, Upchurch, near Sittingbourne, refused offers of help to get him out the river when he was spotted by boatowners at Cuxton Marina near Strood, at about 7pm on March 23.

One of the owners, Paul Lambert, told coroner Roger Sykes he had heard a voice saying "help me".

Mr Lambert added: "I could see him sitting in the mud and he said he was not ok. He said he was being chased and he seemed very agitated.

"There was nobody else around and he could have got himself out but he deliberately slid further down the mud towards the water.

I called the emergency services because he was now about 15ft from the pontoon in the water.

"He heard the police sirens get closer so pushed himself further out in thewater and eventually I lost sight of him."

Another boat owner, Alec Short, rowed out to attempt to find Mr Woods and a few minutes later discovered his bodyfloating near the M2 bridge but he had already drowned.

His widow Janice told the coroner: "We had been married for 24 years and he was in good health until three years ago when he had a hip operation which left him in pain.

"He had hallucinated ever since and had gone missing in February for a few days so he was referred to hospital.

"But he was his normal self on the day he drowned. He had done some routine chores like saying he was getting the car serviced.

"He then came home with some flowers for me and I saw him wandering around in a field behind our house. He said he had found some hypdodermic needles used by youths in a derelict barn.

"He then said he was going to the doctors for a 3pm appointment and then to B&Q and that was the last time I spoke to him."

Det Sgt Simon Thompson confirmed there was nobody in the area of the marina who could have been chasing him.

Summing up, the coroner said: "He was found dead in somewhat bizarre but sad circumstances. There is no evidence that he wanted to drown himself so I record a verdict of accidental death."