Tragic death of estate agent

A POPULAR estate agent was tragically found dead in a hot tub while on holiday, an inquest has heard.

- LISA LETCHER

Mike Wainwright had a successful career as a director of Saltash-based Wainwright Estate Agents and previously held senior roles at The Herald and Western Morning News in Plymouth.

An inquest at Cornwall's Coroners' Court in Truro heard Mike was found dead on May 13 last year during a stay at a holiday lodge in Portreath. Mike, who was 40 when he died, spent his entire life in Saltash. During the inquest, he was remembered as a "popular man" who enjoyed socialising. The inquest also heard that Mike started drinking when he was 18 and struggled with alcoholism after a difficult breakup.

Mike was known to sometimes drink up to one litre of vodka a day. He had cut this down to 70cl as he tried to beat his addiction and his parents were helping him seek private healthcare when he died. 

Friend Tracy Hayward was with Mike before he died.

She told the inquest: "I would describe him as my best friend. He was the nicest, most generous person you could ever wish to meet. He had the best sense of humour you could find."

Tracy said Mike wanted them to have a short holiday in a lodge before he started a detox programme the following week. She said he was already drunk when they left home and he bought more drinks on their way to Portreath.