Angler died 'doing what he loved best,' son tells inquest
Undiagnosed heart condition could have contributed to 'accidental death by drowning'
A POPULAR Newbury Angling Club member died “doing what he loved best” – enjoying a weekend fishing session with his only son.
An inquest into the sudden death of 62-year-old Glenn Allan Keep was told of a wonderful night the two shared at Pallett’s Pool, off Hambridge Lane, in Newbury.
The pair had spent the time chatting and laughing until the early hours before retiring to their respective tents.
But in the morning, son Warren woke to find his father’s tent empty.
At the inquest in Reading Town Hall on Thursday, October 5, Warren Keep said he and his father had used adjacent ‘pegs’, or platforms, at the pool off Hambridge Lane, just north of the Kennet and Avon Canal.
He added: “Around 1.45am I said I was going back to my tent.
“In the morning I noticed his rod was missing from where he had left it on the bank.
“I rang his mobile and heard it ringing beside his tent.”
With rising apprehension, Warren Keep searched for his dad until he made the awful discovery that his body was in the water.
He dived in and brought his father to the bank before summoning help and trying to revive him.
But it was too late and a doctor certified his death at the scene on Saturday, July 22.
Tests revealed Mr Keep had drunk a moderate amount of alcohol consistent with the few cans of lager he had shared with his son.
But they also revealed that, unknown to himself or his family, he had a serious, undiagnosed heart condition – one so severe that a coronary artery was completely blocked.
His son told the inquest that he and his father, who lived at Paynesdown Road, Thatcham, used rod alarms to wake them if a fish took the bait while they slept.
Warren Keep said he saw his father’s rod in the water and speculated that he had been woken by the alarm in the night, had hurried to the water and fallen in.
Glenn Keep, a non swimmer, would have been immediately out of his depth at the spot where he fell, the coroner was told.
A police officer who attended the scene suggested Mr Keep might have tripped over the alarm wire.
Assistant Berkshire coroner Emma Jones said it was also possible that Mr Keep had suffered a sudden medical crisis due to his heart condition and had fallen, already unconscious, into the water.
She returned a verdict of accidental death by drowning.
Glenn Keep, who was born in Yattendon, worked for Veolia and was married to Irene, who works at Tesco in Pinchington Lane.
The pair had been together around 30 years and were devoted to one another.
Warren Keep said after the inquest: “He was my mum’s first boyfriend and her one, true love.
“They met on holiday in Portugal.
“We gave dad a great send-off – around 200 people attended the funeral and the wake.
“It was nice to see how much dad was loved and how highly people thought of him.
“Also we raised about £1,500 for a dogs’ charity.
“Dad was mad about dogs and we had four English springer spaniels, now three, sadly.”
He added: “If there’s one crumb of comfort in all this, it’s that dad died doing what he loved and we really did have the best evening together.
“He was so chuffed I’d got engaged to my girlfriend, Keeley.
“He was very fond of her and they got on like a house on fire. I’m glad he knew we were to be married.”
Mr Warren went on: “Dad was always my best mate and we loved hanging out and fishing together.
“But that last night we seemed to talk more deeply about things and about life in general. It was perfect.”