Man drowned in Storm Bert flood, inquest told

A man drowned in floodwater during Storm Bert while taking his dog for a walk, an inquest has heard.

Retired teacher Brian Perry from Caerphilly was found underwater underneath a farm gate on Gower Road in Trefriw, Conwy, on November 24, 2024.

The inquest in Ruthin heard the 76-year-old, who had been staying in a cottage in the village with his wife, had taken their border collie for a walk on the afternoon of the previous day.

His body was found the next morning.

In a statement, his widow Catherine Perry said she had gone out shortly afterwards for a run and noticed water had come up onto the path from the river Conwy, and that a man was wading through it.

She phoned Mr Perry at about 16:25 GMT, who said he was heading back to the cottage.

Soon after she heard a dog barking and another sound which she said she thought must have been her husband, but it was dark and raining and there was no sign of him.

A search for Mr Perry got underway involving the police and Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue, but it was called off at 20:15 GMT that night because conditions had become too dangerous.

A police officer found Mr Perry’s body the next morning after wading through flood water that was in places five and a half feet (1.67m) deep.

A post mortem examination confirmed he had drowned.

The senior coroner for north Wales, east and central, John Gittins, said Mr Perry’s death was an accident.

“Having taken the dog out for a walk, the speed at which the storm and flood water overwhelmed him was something he could not escape from,” he said.

He added the community of Trefriw “really came together” to help Mrs Perry and her wider family, showing it “very much cared”.