A vicar who died at sea on the return leg of a pilgrimage had told his wife he was prepared to ‘die in the attempt’.

Burton Bradstock vicar Robert Anthony Thorn, known as Bob, was on his way from a trip to Cornwall in his rowing boat when tragedy struck earlier in the year.

An inquest into the 59-year-old clergyman’s death at County Hall in Dorchester was told that Mr Thorn’s body was found close to his rowing boat on the beach near Seatown on April 7.

The inquest was told the vicar set off to sea from Lympstone near Exmouth on March 3.

He reached his destination near Falmouth on March 16.

After spending some time camping on the beach, he was believed to have set off on his way back east by March 31.

Mr Thorn’s wife, the Reverend Jean Thorn, said the plan had been for her to pick him up at Plymouth and tow the boat back.

However, she believed her husband may have carried on in an attempt to turn up at their West Dorset home and surprise her.

Mrs Thorn explained that the pilgrimage had been something her husband had been determined to do.

She said that he only had a limited window because of the timing of his sabbatical.

The aim of the spiritual journey had been to recreate the voyage of Celtic Saints and Mr Thorn would be virtually self-sufficient, although he would accept hospitality if it was offered.

Mrs Thorn said he was an experienced boatman and had packed some safety equipment, an anchor and a lifejacket, but the inquest was told he had no cash, cards, phone or radio on him.

She said that in the weeks leading up to the trip they had discussed if there was a ‘Plan B’ in light of the severe weather most of the country had been experiencing.

However, she said: “I realised that he had no Plan B and this pilgrimage was something he set his heart upon, even saying he wanted to do it or die in the attempt.”

Despite this, Mrs Thorn dismissed suggestions that her husband had a ‘death wish’.

She said: “I do not think, as some have suggested, that he was suicidal or that he had a death wish.

“It was that he simply wanted very dearly to make this spiritual journey.”

Pathologist Dr Mark Deverell said that, whilst an exact cause of death was hard to deduce, there was a ‘strong suggestion’ that it was related to immersion in water with hypothermia or drowning the likely causes.

Dorset coroner Sheriff Payne recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said: “There could be a multitude of ways, we have no idea, but I do think his death was due to some sort of accident.”