AN off-duty fire fighter died while swimming in the River Wye, in Herefordshire this summer, an inquest has heard.

Herefordshire Coroner’s Court heard that Chris Short, 42, a fireman with Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, based at Telford, was swimming close to a camping and caravan park near Fiddler’s Green, between Fownhope and Mordiford, where his family were staying.

Detective Constable Carl Harris told the court that the police received an emergency call from Mr Short’s wife, on August 17, stating that he’d gone under the water and that she had lost sight of him

The couple and their three children, from Stirchley in Telford, had been in the shallow part of the river before unexpectedly entering a deeper section, when all the family began to struggle.

Mr Short got their youngest son back to shallow water, before he succumbed to the deep water.

Mrs Short made certain that all the children were safe before making a frantic phone call to the police.

She told officers that she believed she heard her husband shouting for help.

The inquest heard that while police officers searched the river from one direction the crew from the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Service located Mr Short some 100 metres from where he had last been seen.

Fire officers and paramedics administered CPR to Mr Short on the bank before Dr Malcom Russell and air ambulance medics arrived.

They spent 90 minutes trying to resuscitate Mr Short before he was declared dead at 5.08pm.

Hereford firefighter Ben Griffiths told the inquest that they had to use a rescue sled because of the poor launch points for a boat in the area, but found a body in the river, about three feet below the surface, after just 15 minutes of searching.

He said: “This was an extremely sad and harrowing incident. However, I truly believe we did everything we could to save him.

“I was with Mr Short from the moment we found him to the very end. It was with complete sadness that on this occasion, we were unsuccessful in saving him.”

The pathologist confirmed that there were no obvious injuries to Mr Short and concluded the cause of death was accidental drowning.

Assistant coroner for Herefordshire, Roland Wooderson said that he accepted the medical cause of death and added: “It’s clear from the evidence I have, that Mr Short was swimming in the River Wye on August 17 this year when he got into difficulties whereupon all the emergency services were called to assist.

“Quite clearly this was a tragic accident.”

Coroner’s Conclusion: Accidental death.

Mr Short is survived by his wife and their three children.

Chief Fire officer Simon Hardiman for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said at the time: "Our sincerest condolences and thoughts are with Chris’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. This is a profoundly devastating loss for everyone at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, especially for Chris’s watch in Telford.”