Mystery surrounds the death of a pensioner found dead in Walsingham jungle last year although Coroner William Francis ruled yesterday foul play was unlikely.

The skeleton and belongings of Walter Hannibal Shirley Smith, 73, of Purvis Park, Devonshire were found on February 23 this year, six months after going missing.

The court heard that Mr. Smith was a happy-go-lucky loner who loved fishing.

His body was found in undergrowth by fellow amateur fisherman Brian Ronald Harvey as he looked for an unoccupied spot of water on Walsingham Nature Reserve.

Mr. Harvey said: “I could see clothes. Then I noticed a backbone. I knew it was a body. The person was lying face up. The body was very decomposed.

“That person was there for some time, maybe years.

“When I saw it I panicked. I had not seen anything like this before - only in movies. I found myself running.

“I was trying to get out of there as fast as I could. Then I thought about it, this person wasn't going to chase me so I stopped.”

Police were called and the remains examined by Forensic Pathologist Dr. John Obafunwa.

He carried out an autopsy in February but certified the cause of death was un-ascertained at that time.

There were no cuts to Mr. Smiths' clothing or suspicious marks and Dr. Obafunwa said Mr Smith had not been strangled.

Mr. Smith's passport and other identification were found at the scene and Mr. Smith's niece, Laverne Scott, who regularly visited and cared for him, said clothes at the scene belonged to Mr. Smith.

She raised the alarm after finding him missing and searched the Island with friends and family but could not find him.

Mr. Francis ruled yesterday that, more likely than not, the skeleton remains found at Walsingham were Mr. Smith's.

He said the cause of death was un-ascertained but not likely to be by a criminal act.