Barriers urged after pond death

Hans Kessler was last seen at the Royal George pub in Pembroke

A coroner is calling for a safety review at a pond in Pembroke after hearing a well-known German apparently fell in and drowned.

Hans Joachim Kessler - known locally as 'Higho' - was reported missing when he failed to turn up at work at a tyre centre in Neyland on 2 June.

The 40-year-old was last seen the night before by his close friend of nearly 20 years, Nicholas James, who is landlord of the Royal George Pub in Pembroke where Mr Kessler had been drinking.

An inquest in Milford Haven on Thursday heard Mr Kessler regularly walked home from the pub along side Mill Pond.

He and others had fallen into the water before - there are no railings or barriers around the pond.

He gave me the hug he always gave me when he left and off he went Nicholas James

Mr James told the hearing that on Sunday 1 June his friend had received bad news that two family members back in Germany had been killed in a road accident.

"He had some bad news but he was pretty good," said Mr James.

"He had a few drinks as he always did on a Sunday night."

Mr Kessler left the pub at about 2245 BST.

"He gave me the hug he always gave me when he left and off he went," added Mr James.

"He nearly always walked along Mill Pond to talk to the swans."

Police launched a full scale search after Mr Kessler was reported missing.

On the Tuesday tracker dogs traced a scent to Mill Pond. Mr Kessler's body was discovered three days later.

Concern

A post mortem examination found a high level of alcohol in his blood stream.

The medical cause of death was given as drowning associated with acute alcohol intoxication.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Michael Howells said it was a matter of concern that Mill Pond was not railed or guarded in any way.

"It's a matter of record other people have fallen into Mill Pond.

"I think the appropriate authorities ought to consider guard rails," said Mr Howells.

A 23-year-old man, also from Pembroke, was found dead in the same pond three weeks after Mr Kessler.

An inquest is yet to be held into the death of Alex Hay.