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A young farmer found dead after attending the Royal Welsh Show is likely to have died after being suddenly immersed in the cold River Wye, an inquest heard.

James Corfield, 19, was found in the River Wye on July 30 nearly a week after he was reported missing after leaving the White Horse pub in Builth Wells on Monday, July 24.

Huge numbers of volunteers helped to search the area for the talented cricketer from Montgomery.

A Dyfed-Powys Police inspector told the hearing said Mr Corfield could have been trying to cross the River Wye to reach his campsite.

Inspector Andrew Pitt said he believed Mr Corfield had entered the river around half a mile from the site of the Young People's Village at the Royal Welsh Show.

Mr Corfield would have been able to see the lights and hear music from the Young People's Village at the time he entered the water.

Forensic pathologist Richard Jones told coroner Andrew Barkley he could not give a cause of death based on medical probabilities.

Dr Jones from the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff said there was no evidence of assault or restraint.

(Image: PA)

He said: "We are left with the difficult situation that James has been recovered from water and there is no concrete evidence from the post-mortem examination that he has drowned."

The pathologist suggested that Mr Corfield may have died due to the physical effects of being suddenly immersed in cold water.

He said: "One of the the main problems in cold water [is] if you encounter cold water unexpectedly there are some physiological problems which always occur and these problems are very often fatal."

A toxicology report fount that Mr Corfield had between 150 and 100 milligrams of alcohol in his blood compared to the legal driving limit of 80 milligrams.

Dr Jones said: "In a person who is not a heavy drinker on a day-to-day basis and has a social drink he could have been intoxicated at this alcohol consumption but he could not have been."

Mr Corfield’s mother Louise told the hearing at Welshpool Magistrates’ Court that she did not believe her son would ever have “voluntarily entered” the water.

She said: “It was not James. He would never have entered the water willingly.”

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Mr Corfield, of Montgomery Young Farmers’ Club, was last seen on council CCTV footage crossing the Grove car park in Builth Wells at 11.56pm on July 24.

The inquest heard while he was followed by three males there appeared to be no interaction between them as Mr Corfield crossed the car park in the direction of a footpath along the river.

Dyfed-Powys Police Inspector Andrew Pitt said Mr Corfield’s body was found in three feet of water around 15m from the river bank.

He described the area as having a shallow bank with a “sudden drop” in the water at around five metres away from the bank.

Insp Pitt said he believed Mr Corfield's body had moved from the point where he entered the water.

He said: "The area he was found was only three feet deep and had he been there the whole time I would have expected him to be found there.

During the inquest statements were read from a number of people who had seen Mr Corfield at the White Horse pub.

Family friend Sian Roberts said she had seen Mr Corfield at a marquee outside the pub at around 12.30am.

She said: "It was at that time I saw James, he walked past but he stopped to talk to us.

"He seemed merry. He was never normally drunk so this is the drunkest I have ever seen him."

In a statement read by coroner Andrew Barkley, Fraser Moss said: "I was with James at the marquee at about 1am. We were chatting and dancing. He was drunk but in control."

A written statement from Elliot Clifton said: "James was there [at the White Horse] on his own, I bought him a drink. He appeared his normal self, he was drunk but he was coherent.

"I didn't have any concerns for him."

(Image: RICHARD STANTON.)

During the inquest Mr Barkley, who recorded a conclusion of accidental death, said Mr Corfield’s death was a tragedy not just for family and friends but the “whole community”.

He said: “I am acutely aware that the family are tormented by the lack of detail this inquest had or could obtain.

“I am satisfied because of the evidence placed before me there is no evidence to suggest than anyone else had a hand in his death. There is no evidence of foul play.”

Mr Barkley added that Mr Corfield was not a heavy drinker.

He said: “James was not a young man who would drink to excess.

“He was used to drinking and had been exposed to alcohol in a sensible and measured way from the age of 14.

“He was not someone who was regularly in the habit of drinking to excess, he was more interested in going home and attending to his responsibilities.

The inquest heard that Mr Corfield had a passion for farming and had set up his own business selling eggs to local businesses.

The teenager had also owned his own sheep and cattle and had attended the Royal Welsh show every year.

His mother Louise Corfield said this was the first time he had stayed away from home and that he had met his parents on the showground on the the day he went missing.

She said: “The first thing he did was give me a kiss and said ‘I’ll be back in the morning. I’ll be there to feed the chickens.’”

(Image: PA)

In November a charity auction in memory of the teenager raised more than £30,000 for Brecon Mountain Rescue team who helped in the search.

Mr Barkley said Mr Corfield was an "extremely talented" and entrepreneurial young man who was strong academically and in sports and was the "perfect son and brother".

In a statement read outside the court, Mr Corfield's family said thank you to everyone who supported them through "this nightmare".

They said: "We are currently working very hard alongside the four major players in Builth Wells to make the whole Royal Welsh event safer for the young people of Wales.

"There are important and urgent safety issues that have been and are currently starting to be addressed.

"We will be working hard to ensure that these improvements will be in place before July to make sure that things will be a lot safer this year."

They added: “We are absolutely devastated and shattered by the loss of James because he is a truly special, gifted person and touched so many people’s lives in his 19 years.

“He was a bright shining light and smiled all the time, and it’s because of him so many people dropped all to come and search for him.

“James was a fantastic son and brilliant brother, a talented sportsman and our family is missing him so very much.”

A passionate farmer, his family said Mr Corfield had attended the Royal Welsh Show every year.

They said: "James was very much a farming guy - farming was his life, and he loved his animals with a passion.

"A visit to the Royal Welsh Show was a real highlight for him - and seeing the sheep and poultry judging was something he really looked forward to.

"He went to the Royal Welsh Show every year throughout his life, and we have fond memories of taking him as a child, which we will always treasure."