Ezra Tilford-Key, 23, died after getting into difficulties while swimming at Horstead Mill on the River Bure on a warm summer evening last August.

An inquest at Norfolk Coroner’s Court heard Mr Tilford-Key had entered the water with friends shortly after arriving there at around 5pm on August 5.

Mr Tilford-Key swimming at Horstead Mill (Image: Newsquest)

The court heard members of East Anglian Sub Aqua Club Branch 11 were carrying out their annual underwater litter pick at Horstead Mill, on the Norfolk Broads, when a group of four men and a woman arrived.

Witnesses described the group as enjoying themselves and being “quite loud” as they gathered near an area commonly used by wild swimmers.

Evidence was heard that there was a strong smell of cannabis around the group before they entered the water.

After around 10 minutes in the water, members of the group began shouting Mr Tilford-Key’s name and raising the alarm.

Paul Hennessy, who was on the bank taking part in the clean-up, told the court he heard people shouting: “He’s gone down but not come up.”

Horstead Mill (Image: Newsquest/GoFundMe)

He said he saw the group pointing towards an area of water and he called for fellow divers to........

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