A DAD whose body was found by wind turbine workers off the coast of Barrow 'was liked by everyone', an inquest heard.
Kevin Andrew Long, 57, was reported missing by his family on March 21, 2022, after failing to return home from an overnight trip to Blackpool.
His remains were spotted around six miles off the coast of Walney on March 26 before being recovered by Barrow Lifeboat.
He was found fully clothed, wearing a white England rugby shirt - a gift from his daughter, the hearing was told.
Mr Long, a security worker at Runshaw College and former police officer, left home in Preston on March 19 to catch a train to Blackpool to spend the day watching rugby and football and had booked a one-night stay at Chaplins Hotel on Albert Road.
He had told his sister Shirley Long about his plans.
Assistant coroner for Cumbria Robert Cohen said police tracking of financial transactions 'showed an unremarkable account of a man spending a day in Blackpool - he went to a pub, fish and chip shop, and a supermarket.'
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It was confirmed by the manager of Chaplins that Mr Long had seemed 'unremarkable, but friendly' had spent time in the hotel bar chatting with friends, and checked out at 10am the following morning, leaving his room in 'great condition'.
He made subsequent cash withdrawals that day of £100 at 2.26 pm, and £30 at 5.10 pm.
Tracking of his mobile phone showed that it left the network at 11.03 pm on Sunday, March 20 - the last connection being to the mast at Blackpool South Shore, close to the Pleasure Beach. Mr Long did not turn up to for work as planned the following day, and was never seen alive again.
His sister Shirley described him as 'a gentleman, that was liked by everyone, and someone that doted on his children.'
Her statement told how Mr Long had had a nervous breakdown after joining the police service, left after one year, and then largely worked in security, finding it 'stressful', and had bouts of depression.
The inquest heard Mr Long had previously attempted suicide in 2016, and had 'joked' about jumping into a river, and he had remarked to his sister - 'I won't make old bones'.
In conclusion, Mr Cohen accepted the cause of death as drowning, and said that it was 'more likely than not that Kevin entered the water with the intention of ending his life.'
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