The family of a Shropshire soldier today heard about his last known movements during a night out in the French Alps before he went missing nearly four years ago.Mr John Ellery, the coroner for Mid and North Shropshire, recorded an open verdict at the inquest of army cadet Blake Hartley, at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court.

The medical cause of death was given as drowning. The inquest heard forensic evidence that 25-year-old Blake, of Golding, near Cound, was alive when he fell in the water.

Blake disappeared in Chamonix on August 8, 2004, but it was not until January 2007 that bones found in debris by the river L’arve were identified.

In the inquest evidence was heard from Captain Ashley Edwards who was with Blake on a hiking expedition with fellow soldiers.

The group had been drinking in Chamonix and Captain Edwards said Blake had probably drunk six or seven pints of lager and half a bottle of wine with dinner, a cocktail, a tequila slammer and a sambuca shot.

He said they left the club together at 3am on August 8.

“Blake seemed in good spirits and was fairly energetic. He certainly did not need any assistance at any point.”

But Captain Edwards said when the pair reached the campsite where they were staying, Blake walked straight past it.

“I was shouting ‘Blake it’s here, where are you going?’ I thought it was part of a wind up. He was totally adamant, he was pressing on and it was not the campsite.”

Captain Edwards told the inquest he followed Blake who went into a private garden, saying it was the campsite, and that was the last he saw of him.

The inquest heard that in the morning the soldiers started to search for Blake but did not contact police until 6.20pm.

Captain Edwards said: “I do not know how Blake got into the river, any number of things could have happened to him.”

The coroner said he had heard no evidence of homicide or suicide.

“The evidence is that he died from drowning and was alive when he entered the water. It could be that this was an accident but we just do not know how.”

By Rebecca Lawrence