An open verdict has been recorded on a former Tenby man whose body was found on the resort's South Beach last May.
There were so many possible contributory factors which could have caused the death of Mr. John David Sharland, that HM Coroner for Pembrokeshire, Mr. Michael Howells, told last week's inquest in Milford Haven that it was the only proper conclusion he could reach.
DC Paul Thomas told the inquest that 59-year-old Mr. Sharland, of 19B Treport Street, Wandsworth, London, had been born in Tenby, but had left the area for London aged 16.
He had worked as a courier for the Australian High Commission, but in the mid 1970s he was diagnosed with depression and anxiety.
He had been treated in hospital for depression several times, including one stay at St. David's Hospital, Carmarthen, and he had exhibited suicidal tendencies, having tried to take his own life in the past.
He quite often visited his family in Manorbier and in May this year had stayed with his cousin, Mrs. Ann O'Connor, at 27 Dewing Avenue.
At around 10.30 pm on Wednesday, May 22, Mrs O'Connor discovered that Mr. Sharland was not to be found in the house and had contacted other members of the family in a bid to locate him.
A search of Tenby, Manorbier and Saundersfoot found nothing and the police were alerted the following morning.
Police searches involving helicopter, tracker dogs and the marine unit, also found nothing, but Mr. Sharland's body was discovered on Tenby's South Beach early on the Friday morning.
DC Thomas said that, despite numerous police appeals, it was still unknown as to where Mr. Sharland had entered the sea.
Mrs. O'Connor said that she had seen her cousin depressed before and on a previous visit he had been so anxious that he refused to leave the house.
However, he had not been so on this visit and talked about buying a property in Manorbier so he could leave London to be closer to his family. She and her husband had been out on the Wednesday evening, returning home around 10.30 pm.
She believed Mr. Sharland to be in bed and had watched some television. On her way to bed herself she noticed Mr. Sharland's bedroom window open and when she went in to ask him if he wanted it closed, she noticed that he was not in the room.
She rang her sister-in-law to see if he was visiting her, and when he was not, the family started a search for him.
As he had disappeared overnight in the past, the family waited until the following morning and, when he did not return home then, raised the alarm with the police.
A post mortem on Mr. Sharland by Dr. Gareth Melville-Jones at Withybush Hospital indicated severe blood loss following a fractured femur.
There were also serious fractures consistent with a fall and evidence of a serious heart condition.
There was no evidence of drowning, but the pathologist could not discount it either.
"Whether he knew it or not, with his heart problems Mr. Sharland was a very unwell man," commented Mr. Howells.
"It is very difficult to draw a conclusion in this case.
"Although there is evidence that Mr. Sharland tried to take his life in the past, there is no indication that he intended to on this occasion. In fact, he was making plans for the future.
"It is possible that his heart condition led him to lose consciousness and fall into the sea, it is equally possible he decided to go for a swim, or even jumped.
"I know it's rather unsatisfactory for the family, but the facts are so confused that the only possible verdict in these circumstances is an open one."