Chirk woman in canal drowning tragedy

A woman drowned in a canal where she loved walking before she developed dementia, an inquest heard today.

The body of 89 year-old Glenys Thomas was discovered by passers-by in the water close to the Poachers Pocket pub on the Chirk road, at Gledrid, on New Year’s Day this year.

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An inquest in Ruthin heard Mrs Thomas, from Chirk, had been showing signs of dementia.

She was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene after being found in the canal at about 11.10am.

Days before her death doctors examined Mrs Thomas, who had lost her husband in 2001, diagnosing a form of dementia and recommended she get extra support to cope.

Locals had seen Mrs Thomas walking near the canal on New Year’s Eve evening, a walk she had taken in the past with her dogs.

On New Year’s Day her son, Mike Thomas had become concerned for her safety and raised the alarm after she failed to answer her phone and was not at her house.

“About a year before, she started to get confused, there was an increasing paranoia and irrational thoughts,” he told the hearing,

“Some people saw her the previous evening going for a walk in the dark and that was uncharacteristic.

“It gives us comfort that she had a good life and she was able to end her days living at her own home.

“She loved walking her dogs by the canal.

“This was her final journey and that was one of her favourite walks.”

Mrs Thomas had battled with cancer and when it returned in August last year she was “at peace” with the news, said Mr Thomas.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mrs Thomas had drowned and there was no evidence suggesting she had taken her own life.

Coroner for North Wales East and Central, John Gittins concluded the death was accidental.

He said: “It is speculation, but she may have slipped and fallen into the water.

“Regardless of the circumstances, losing a parent is very difficult to come to terms with.”