A MAN fell into a canal and drowned as he walked home drunk, an inquest heard.

John Ratcliffe, aged 54, was found submerged in the Bridgewater Canal near Leigh Bridge.

The grim discovery was made last May by a man and his children who had gone to feed ducks on the canal.

Mr Ratcliffe's widow Betty said her husband had "always been fond of a drink."

She told the Bolton inquest they had split-up more than four months before his death because of his drinking, but remained close friends.

But Mr Ratcliffe arrived at her home at 4.15am on Sunday, May 5. He was drunk and shouted and banged on the front door.

Mrs Ratcliffe said she told him to go home. But the inquest heard his route home included walking along the canal bank. His fully-clothed body was found four hours later in the water.

The inquest heard Mr Ratcliffe, of Cecil Street, Leigh, had twice before fallen into the canal while drunk.

Pathologist Dr John Rutherford said he was three times over the legal drink-drive limit at the time of his death. Dr Rutherford said he died from drowning and police said there were no suspicious circumstances

Coroner Jennifer Leeming recorded an accidental verdict.

She said : "I am quite satisfied Mr Ratcliffe died after falling into the canal."