A teenager drowned after he was swept over a steep weir during a kayaking trip that had been planned on Snapchat, an inquest heard.
Joe Holt, 17, died after falling into the River Croal in Bolton on the evening of April 9. He was pulled from the water, near Raikes Lane Industrial Estate, but died in hospital the next morning.
HOW IT HAPPENED
An inquest at Bolton Coroners’ Court heard Joe and another boy were in an inflatable canoe when it ‘lost control’ in the fast-flowing river.
As they were pulled towards the weir, the other boy managed to jump to safety. Joe stayed in the kayak and was swept over the edge, before becoming trapped in the powerful current.
COURT HEARD
River levels were high after several days of heavy rain. The inquest heard Joe, from Little Lever, Bolton, and three others had discussed going on a kayaking expedition for several months.
They eventually arranged to go during ‘a break in the rain’ on April 9 and met up before heading to the River Tonge in Darcy Lever with two inflatable kayaks.
Although two of the boys had been kayaking before, Joe had not. Giving evidence, one of the boys said Joe, an IT student, ‘seemed less confident in the water’, so was given a life jacket.
Prior to the expedition, the boys followed the course of the river using a 2D map on Snapchat.
They believed they ‘could get as far as Salford’, the inquest heard.
