Bizarre death of musician
trapped
in drain

A MUSICIAN drowned in a bizarre accident after he became trapped in a drain while trying to retrieve his car keys, an inquest heard.

Father-of-two Andy Banks, 49, had been entertaining locals at The Swan pub in Liversedge, West Yorkshire, on New Year’s Day but dropped his keys after leaving at 11.30pm.

An inquest at Kirklees Coroner’s Court yesterday heard he had walked to his car parked in a lay-by a mile and a half away.

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But neighbours soon raised the alarm shortly after midnight when they heard a disturbance and looked out and saw belongings in the street.

They went out and discovered Mr Banks, who had drunk around eight pints, trapped in the drain and immediately phoned emergency services on 999.

PC Neil Wilks, who was first on the scene, told the court that as he pulled up in a police van he could see most of a man’s body was in a drain with only the legs out.

He and a colleague arrived and tried to pull the man free before fire crews arrived.

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Fire crews spent a further 40 minutes trying to release him and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The court heard he had himself removed the drain cover and the water level was a foot below the street surface at the time.

It remained unclear whether he planned to drive or put his belongings in his car before walking back to his home in nearby Dewsbury.

Deputy Acting Coroner for West Yorkshire, Tim Ratcliffe, said the evidence suggested he dropped the keys down the drain, lifted the cover off and reached down to fish them out.

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Pathologist Karen Ramsden said keys were found held in his right hand.

A post-mortem examination found signs consistent with drowning.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Ratcliffe said: “It’s reasonable to draw inference on the balance of probabilities that for some reason his keys got down the drain and he was trying to retrieve them.

“This was in many ways a rather unusual and tragic death.”

Mr Banks was a well-known local musician and sculptor who played in a number for bands but was perhaps best known for working with the eccentric Eric and the Viaduct.

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Friend Sharon Brogden. who had known him for about 20 years, she said he was a sensitive and generous man who had recently opened rehearsal rooms in Dewsbury to allow bands to practise.

Speaking after his death, she said: “It wasn’t his time to go. He had everything going.

“Everything seemed to be going well.”

He was best known for playing the mandolin, but also played the banjo, flute and violin.