A KEEN historian and railway enthusiast from Tredegar plunged to his death at a beauty spot in the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Gerald Davies, 76, died at Clydach Gorge, which stretches between Gilwern in Monmouthshire and Brynmawr in Blaenau Gwent.

An inquest at Newport Coroner’s Court heard how members of a cave rescue team found his body after a search last summer following a police appeal.

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The senior coroner for Gwent, Caroline Saunders, said: “Gerald Davies was a keen historian, railway enthusiast and photographer. He had no known physical or mental health problems.

“He was last seen by his friend Terence Saunter on August 7, 2019 after a visit to Llanvihangel where they planned to take photographs of steam engines.

“Gerald also assisted the lay readers at the local church and was last seen by his friend Paul Latham at St George’s Church in Tredegar on August 11, 2019. Mr Latham confirmed that Gerald seemed in good spirits and there were no health concerns.

“On August 16 Gerald’s friend Kenneth Davies heard that he was missing and went to look for him in the areas that he knew that Gerald frequented.

“On August 19 he discovered Gerald’s car on the Old Black Rock Road that runs from Brynmawr to Clydach.

“Mr Davies confirmed that Gerald Davies had recently taken photographs in that area. He reported his discovery to the police.”

The court heard how the Gwent force had appealed for information into his disappearance and said that he may have been in the Clydach Gorge area.

Ms Saunders said: “On August 23, 2019, responding to that post, Andrew Zerbinho and his partner, who are both members of the Cave Rescue Team, went to the gorge and searched down to the Clydach River.

“Having walked downstream they discovered a body and made calls to the emergency rescue services.”

The coroner recorded a narrative verdict and added: “The post-mortem examination confirmed that Gerald had suffered traumatic injuries consistent with a fall in the gorge.

“There was also evidence of significant changes within the coronary arteries but it was not possible to determine whether there had been a heart attack because of the changes that had occurred before Gerald’s body was discovered.

“On balance, however I am satisfied that death was ultimately attributed to the injuries that Gerald sustained in a fall in the gorge.”