A wild swimmer drowned in Hinksey Lake, a coroner concluded.

Henry Hodge was reportedly a recent convert to the hobby of wild swimming. On the morning of January 23, the 31-year-old’s body was discovered in the Hinksey Park lake. Paramedics were called shortly before 8am.

At an inquest this month, assistant coroner Sonia Hayes recorded a conclusion of death by misadventure.

The cause of death was given as drowning and substances ethanol, diazepam and cocaine were found in his system.

Ms Hayes said: “Mr Hodge was found face-down in the lake that morning [January 23], where he had been swimming alone.”

READ MORE: Flowers left at scene of lake tragedy

The coroner recorded that the business development manager, who lived in Stanley Road, Oxford, at the time of his death, had ‘recently taken up wild swimming’.

“Mr Hodge died of drowning [against] a background of multi-drug use that, whilst not at high levels, may have triggered a seizure or arrhythmia that could have led to him drowning,” Ms Hayes said.

In January, flowers were left at the scene of the Hinksey lake tragedy.

Bright-coloured tulips and red roses were among those laid on the ground, with a note marked ‘for Henry’.

Thames Valley Police said at the time that officers were treating Mr Hodge’s death as unexplained but not suspicious.

This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward