A man died after he got his head stuck in a hole and suffocated as he hunted rabbits.
Stephen Whinfrey was found slumped with his head in the ground by a stunned member of the public who was walking through a beauty spot.
Mr Whinfrey had previously used ferrets and dogs to hunt rabbits - an activity he had taken part in for most of his life, an inquest heard.
The 50-year-old had gone to Squirrel Wood Scout Camp, near Burghwalis, Doncaster, on New Year's Day, the inquest was told.
His body was found the following day shortly before 4pm.
Mr Whinfrey had taken off his wellington boots and his jacket which were found next to the hole with two bags, one which contained ferrets, a spade, knives and a net.
A dead rabbit and a fresh mound of soil was next to the hole and his dog was tied to a tree nearby.
Pc Richard Hall told Doncaster Coroner's Court: "We found a male head first in a hole with only his legs and torso visible. He was at a 45 degree angle, curved around the hole.
"There was a hand coming out of the hole in between the male's legs. I couldn't see the other hand and there were scratch marks on the ground.
"It became obvious that the man was deceased. He was wedge in the hole with hardly any room at all."
Mr Whinfrey, from Skellow, Doncaster, had told his family he would see them for lunch at around 1pm on New Year's Day. But when he didn't return they became concerned.
When he still hadn't returned home the following day and they hadn't heard from him they contacted police.
Dr Susan Rodgers, who carried out the post mortem, said Mr Whinfrey had died from asphyxia due to a lack of oxygen.
She added: "It is difficult to say exactly when Mr Whinfrey died. He had probably been dead for some hours by the time he was found."
Assistant coroner Mark Beresford recorded a verdict of misadventure adding: "Misadventure occurs when a person undertakes a task that goes unexpectedly wrong.
"This is what has happened in this case."
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-dies-after-getting-stuck-5806713
Stephen Whinfrey was found slumped with his head in the ground by a stunned member of the public who was walking through a beauty spot.
Mr Whinfrey had previously used ferrets and dogs to hunt rabbits - an activity he had taken part in for most of his life, an inquest heard.
The 50-year-old had gone to Squirrel Wood Scout Camp, near Burghwalis, Doncaster, on New Year's Day, the inquest was told.
His body was found the following day shortly before 4pm.
Mr Whinfrey had taken off his wellington boots and his jacket which were found next to the hole with two bags, one which contained ferrets, a spade, knives and a net.
A dead rabbit and a fresh mound of soil was next to the hole and his dog was tied to a tree nearby.
Pc Richard Hall told Doncaster Coroner's Court: "We found a male head first in a hole with only his legs and torso visible. He was at a 45 degree angle, curved around the hole.
"There was a hand coming out of the hole in between the male's legs. I couldn't see the other hand and there were scratch marks on the ground.
"It became obvious that the man was deceased. He was wedge in the hole with hardly any room at all."
Mr Whinfrey, from Skellow, Doncaster, had told his family he would see them for lunch at around 1pm on New Year's Day. But when he didn't return they became concerned.
When he still hadn't returned home the following day and they hadn't heard from him they contacted police.
Dr Susan Rodgers, who carried out the post mortem, said Mr Whinfrey had died from asphyxia due to a lack of oxygen.
She added: "It is difficult to say exactly when Mr Whinfrey died. He had probably been dead for some hours by the time he was found."
Assistant coroner Mark Beresford recorded a verdict of misadventure adding: "Misadventure occurs when a person undertakes a task that goes unexpectedly wrong.
"This is what has happened in this case."
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-dies-after-getting-stuck-5806713
