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The body of a man whose last words were about the size of the waves hitting the Devon beach he was walking on has been found.

John Bailey was found dead on the beach in the early hours of the morning on Sunday October 22, police confirmed today.

The 67-year-old Paignton man spoke on the phone about the size of the waves hitting the sea wall at Dawlish and drowned moments later, an inquest has heard.

An inquest into his death was opened today at the coroner's court in Torquay.

The waves in the early hours of Sunday morning followed Storm Brian battering the region on Saturday.

(Image: April Evans)

The hearing was told that Birmingham-born Mr Bailey, who lived in Dartmouth Road, died at Red Rock Beach near Dawlish Warren at 1.25am on Sunday.

He was married and a retired maintenance man.

The inquest heard that he was walking alone between Dawlish and Dawlish Warren and was talking on his phone.

He commented on the size of the waves, and contact was lost with him. He was later found dead on the beach.

According to the official report of the inquest opening, there are no suspicious circumstances and the cause of death has been ascertained as drowning.