A TEACHER who was found dead in a marina is believed to have fallen in after walking home from a night out in strong winds and rain.

Catherine Forbes, 57, lived on a wide beam barge at the Thames and Kennet Marina in Caversham.

An inquest at Oxford Coroner’s Court on April 10 heard that the teacher had been to the Marina bar and was drinking with friends on March 31.

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She left at 11.12pm and walked back to her boat alone in heavy rain and winds. The inquest heard she was ‘moderately intoxicated’.

Senior coroner Darren Salter said Miss Forbes had then fallen in and was unable to get out, despite attempts, resulting in her death due to drowning.

He ruled her death as an accident.

At the time of Miss Forbes’s death, police launched an investigation and a 61-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder.

The man was later released by officers and no further action was taken.

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Police then confirmed a couple of days after her death that it was no longer being treated as a ‘suspicious’.

The death continued to be treated as ‘unexplained’ while police carried out their investigation.

Speaking at the time, Detective Chief Inspector Wojciech Spyt said: “We commenced immediate enquiries, and we are now in a position to confirm that there is no ongoing criminal investigation.”