A FATHER-OF-TWO who died at a swimming pool could have collapsed anywhere, an inquest heard yesterday.

Coroner David Morris praised pool staff for their efforts to save Alan Richardson, a recovering alcoholic.

The 42-year-old, of Whinlatter Place, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, was visiting his sister when he went swimming at the pool, in Biggles- wade, Bedfordshire, with his son and nephew on August 1.

Shortly after he got in, lifeguard John Taylor spotted former banker Mr Richardson slumped against the wall on the bottom of the deep end.

Mr Taylor said that at first he thought Mr Richardson might be joking around, but soon realised the situation was serious and dived in.

Suspecting the man had suffered a spinal injury because of the way his head was positioned, Mr Taylor guided him to the shallow end where he was strapped to a spinal board.

Staff attempted to resuscitate Mr Richardson and gained a pulse before paramedics arrived and took him to Bedford Hospital. He remained in a coma for four days, but died on August 5.

A post-mortem examination showed that the cause of death was lack of oxygen to the brain, due to a heart attack caused by chronic alcoholism.

The coroner heard that following his separation from his wife, Caroline, Mr Richardson had begun to drink heavily but had stopped in May. He had no alcohol in his blood when he died.

He recently moved from London, where he lived for more than 20 years, to the North-East to be nearer his parents.

His drinking had damaged his heart, and he could have collapsed at any time.

A verdict of natural causes was recorded.