AN inquest has been opened in to the death of Bridport man Phillip Guppy whose body was found in the River Brit last week.

The Dorchester hearing heard that Mr Guppy, 62, of Alexandra Road, died from drowning.

The inquest was adjourned to a date to be fixed.

His funeral will be held next Tuesday, December 17, at St Mary’s Church in Bridport at 2.30pm.

There is a request for family flowers only, but donations can be made to Cancer Research UK or the British Heart Foundation through AG Down funeral directors.

A massive search was sparked after Mr Guppy failed to return home on Sunday December 1 after an evening at The Crown Inn on West Bay Road.

The search was called off at lunchtime on Wednesday last week after police divers found a body in the river near Palmers Brewery.

The police helicopter, teams of sniffer dogs, and West Bay coastguards were called in after Mr Guppy’s family raised the alarm.

Mr Guppy’s nephew John Murray-Hawkins said on Facebook that the family was “devastated”.

“ He was the most wonderful man, brother and uncle you could ever know and will be missed by everyone.” he added.