A SCHIZOPHRENIC'S attempts to avoid police detection after fleeing a psychiatric hospital ended in tragedy.

Volunteer patient Mr Peter Lord's body was found floating face down in the River Roch by two teenagers on April 29. The 41-year-old was minus his trousers and shoes.

At an inquest in Bury on Wednesday (May 13), coroner Mr Barrie Williams heard how Mr Lord had probably taken his clothes off to prevent getting them wet, and later drawing attention to himself, after crossing the river.

However, the freezing water brought on a heart condition causing the father-of-one to faint, fall into the water and drown.

The inquest heard how Mr Lord began receiving medical treatment for schizophrenia 20 years ago after the death of his mother.

Mr Lord, who worked at his family's Springbank Farm off Turton Road, Tottington, had regularly admitted himself to Fairfield General Hospital's psychiatric unit for treatment and had on occasion left the unit to make his way home without telling staff.

Family friend Mr Anthony Jackson said: "After being picked up by police on one occasion, he would come home in a dishevelled state having walked the six miles from the hospital to the farm over fields and away from main roads.

"Once at home he would talk with his family and then return to the hospital under his own steam."

However, on April 28, the divorced father of one disappeared from the hospital and made his way home via the River Roch. He was found the following morning by 14-year-olds Steven Dubrawski and Stacy Burton, both of Fairfield Drive, Bury.

Mr Williams recorded a verdict of accidental death. He said: "It is likely that Mr Lord decided some time on April 28 that he would leave the hospital and make his way home, which he had done before, and was confident enough to avoid immediate detection by the police or hospital staff by using routes that would not be policed or where he could be easily detected.

"I believe he was considering taking a path that would lead him home and required, on this occasion, crossing the River Roch not far away from the hospital. It is likely he would realise the problems of getting his trousers and shoes wet would bring attention to himself and he took them off before he crossed the river. During this crossing, I believe the cold water and the extent of his heart condition was such that he would experience some sort of faint and collapsed into the water and he would be unable to recover to avoid the drowning that took place."

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