Mystery surrounds work trip death of Bolton grandad at Spanish marina

An inquest in Bolton heard how grandfather Andrew Wallace was found tangled with or “attached” to a boat’s mooring rope and partially submerged in the marina at Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol the day after he and his colleagues arrived in the resort.

Senior coroner Timothy Brennand was told how the trip had been organised by civil engineering firm Westshield Ltd as a pre-Christmas thank-you for its managers.

A group of 34 people flew from Manchester to Malaga on November 11, 2019 and that evening went for a meal before heading to the Mombasa bar next to the marina.

Mr Wallace’s partner of 40 years, Paula Taylor, told the inquest how she spoke to him on the phone at 10pm that evening while he was at the bar.

“He was having a good time and there was no problem,” said Ms Taylor.

But the following day her calls to him went straight to voicemail and then she was contacted by a colleague who told her that he had died.

Andrew Wallace

The inquest heard he had last been seen alive by colleagues outside the bar at 2.30am and friends searched for him when he did not return to their hotel.

But at 2pm that afternoon the owner of a pleasure boat moored in the marina spotted a body in the water.

“He noticed that there was a half sunken person floating underneath the ropes that secured his boat to the mooring point,” said Mr Brennand.

Westshield managing director Patrick Waldron, told the court that 54-year-old Mr Wallace, a self-employed project director had been in a good mood the previous evening.

Mombasa bar

“”He was laughing and joking and having a great time as was everyone else,” said Mr Waldron, who added that the following day he saw police activity across the harbour not realising Mr Wallace was involved.

“It was the most surreal moment of my life,” said Mr Waldron.

The Spanish authorities concluded that Mr Wallace had died of “asphyxia by submersion” and ruled out any third party involvement. Mr Wallace was still wearing his expensive Tag Heuer watch and had £350 in cash on him when he was found, although the top he was wearing and his phone were missing.

UK pathologist Patrick Waugh told the inquest that he could not confirm the cause of death from his post mortem as Spanish procedures had resulted in organs being removed and the body embalmed.

There were no witnesses to Mr Wallace entering the water and Mr Brennand speculated that Mr Wallace, of Normanby Street, Morris Green, who was known to like cars and motorbikes, may have fallen in and been unable to clamber out again after going to get a closer look at the boats.

“But the evidence does not seem to me to establish the precise circumstances in which Andy came by coming into the water,” said Mr Brennand, who described the death of the dad-of-two as “sad and tragic”.

He added that there is no evidence one way or another that he was pushed or that he tripped or had a medical episode which caused him to fall.

“There are all manner of means and explanations that amount to a theorising as to how he came into the water and in those circumstances it seems to me that the only conclusion I can return here is an open conclusion.

“I can’t say, on the balance of probabilities, that this was an accident.”