A PENSIONER’S body was found wedged underneath a fallen tree in a river near Keswick, an inquest has heard.

Cockermouth Coroners’ Court was told how a police constable had attended the Lake District village of Portinscale on the evening of May 1 this year.

The body of Peter Charles Birchall, aged 71, was found in the river Derwent. Based on identification documents which were located at the scene, the officer had provided a statement in which he confirmed that, based on the balance of probabilities, the deceased was Mr Birchall.

“The brief circumstances of Mr Birchall’s death are that his body was found in the River Derwent at Portinscale on May 1, 2024, just after 6.15pm,” said area Cumbria coroner Ms Kirsty Gomersal as she opened an inquest into his death.

“His body was wedged underneath a fallen tree and was partly submerged.

“A post mortem examination has been carried out and, at present, the medical cause of Mr Birchall’s death remains unascertained. However, given the circumstances in which Mr Birchall was found, an inquest is bound to be required.”

The inquest was told Mr Birchall was born in Morecambe and latterly lived at Kirkham, between Preston and Blackpool. His occupation was unknown.

“In order that further enquiries can be made into Mr Birchall’s death, I am now formally adjourning his inquest until a provisional conclusion date of October 31, 2024,” concluded Ms Gomersal.