Man suffocates in drain

A man suffocated in a drain as he searched for his mobile phone battery.

Kevin McKeon's body was found when a passer-by spotted his trainers sticking out of the drain in Taunton, Somerset.

Retired dock worker Brian Wilkinson, 65, was driving home when he saw a pair of shoes sticking out of the drain in Roman Road.

When he went to check he found the body of the 25-year-old, who is thought to have fallen into the drain as he hunted for his phone battery.

Not suspicious

Paramedics were called to the scene but were unable to resuscitate the man.

Mr Wilkinson said: "I thought it was kids messing about at first.

"I shouted down the hole and a young chap came along with a dog - when he saw the trainers he said he thought it was a teenage prank but then said it was someone's leg."

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesman confirmed officers were called to reports of a body in a drain on Roman Road, Taunton, just before 2300 BST on Tuesday.

He said investigations found that the death was sudden, not suspicious, and the details passed on to the coroner.

West Somerset coroner Michael Rose said an inquest into the death of Mr McKeon was opened and adjourned on Thursday at Bridgwater, Somerset.

Mr Rose said a post-mortem examination by Home Office Pathologist Dr Hugh White found the cause of death was asphyxiation.