A HOMELESS one-eyed alcoholic probably tripped in the dark and tumbled into the canal at Avoncliff where he drowned.

John McManus, who was a vagrant in Bath, was found dead in the Kennet and Avon canal on Christmas Eve.

An inquest was told on Wednesday that Mr McManus, known as JJ, had spent the previous night drinking in the Cross Guns pub and left after asking staff for directions back along the towpath to Bath.

His body was found floating in the canal at 8am the next day. His bag was found nearby on the towpath.

Wiltshire Coroner David Masters was told Mr McManus had been living rough in Bath since 1993 and visited the city's Julian House homeless shelter virtually every day.

Attempts had been made to deal with his severe drink problem, but he rejected treatment.

A post-mortem revealed a blood alcohol level of 248mgs when he died, three times the drink drive limit.

Consultant pathologist Susan Burrows also found significant heart disease which could have triggered a heart attack at any time.

She told the Trowbridge inquest it was possible Mr McManus had a heart attack and tumbled into the canal, or had a seizure after falling into the cold water.

She said Mr McManus would have found it difficult to judge distances as he only had one eye, the other having been surgically removed in 1995.

The inquest was told Mr McManus caught a train from Bath and told conductor Susan Jackson he was going to Chippenham. He did not have a ticket and left the train at Avoncliff Halt.

PC Martin Annetts, of Bradford on Avon police, said he walked the route at night a few weeks after Mr McManus's death, and the area where his body was found was very dark.

"It is very dark and with the darkness of the water, it is very easy to become disorientated."

The inquest heard that British Waterways have put railings along that stretch.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Masters said: "I think the probability is that he misjudged the edge of the towpath and there was nothing to stop him falling into the canal."