Boy, 7, drowned at family birthday party

Harvey Worgan, aged seven, was found at the bottom of Nigel Price’s pool in Llandyssil, near Montgomery, on June 17.

The inquest at Welshpool Magistrates Court heard that Harvey and his parents Ben and Lucy attended Mr Price’s party along with 50 other guests.

The youngster’s father had been working for Mr Price that day and arrived at his house around 5pm before his wife arrived with their son.

Harvey had been in the pool and his father had told him to stay in the shallow end, the hearing was told.

In his statement read out during the inquest, Mr Worgan said he was away from the poolside speaking to Mr Price and had last seen his son walking around the outside the edge of the water. Another guest Dyfrig Huw Rees went to the pool area when he saw Harvey face down at the bottom and attempted to help him.

Dr Andrew Bamber, a paediatric pathologist based at the Heath Hospital in Cardiff, told the inquest there was no evidence of significant injury and there was a presence of 300ml of water in the stomach and changes to the lungs.

He said his death was consistent with one from immersion in water.

In a statement, Harvey’s father described his son as ‘a boy with a lovely smile’, who was often keen to help him out at work. He said in his statement: “He’s not just a son but my best friend.”

A JustGiving page was set up by Harvey’s aunt Emma following the tragic death, and £3,347 was raised towards funeral costs.

Coroner Andrew Barkley said there was no indication Harvey fell in the pool, and concluded he died of drowning as a result of an accident. He said: “At the particular time of the incident no-one specifically saw Harvey. It seems to me that Harvey was only out of sight for a matter of moments.”