A young man from Glastonbury died after falling into a water-filled ditch while under the influence of ketamine, an inquest has confirmed.

Jack-James Ayres, 22, was found in a rhyne close to his home in Sharpham after leaving the house in the early hours of 3 March 2025.

The inquest, held on 10 November, heard he had taken ketamine before the incident and was later unable to pull himself free in the unlit rural spot.

Area coroner Vanessa McKinlay said the "soft peat" at the bottom of the waterway and the drug's effects on his reactions and perception meant he "was unable to rescue himself".

She recorded a conclusion of misadventure contributed to by illicit drug use, with the medical causes of death listed as drowning and ketamine toxicity.

Shortly after his death, Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they were called at around 1.45pm on 3 March to reports of a body in the water near Sharpham Drove.

Jack had last been seen earlier that morning and was found less than 12 hours later. A post-mortem at the time identified drowning as the preliminary cause of death.

His devastated family released a statement in the days following the tragedy.

Download our Nub News App!

- It’s FREE and available now
- Breaking news notifications
- Your Town in Your Pocket

They said: "Nothing can put into words how we are all feeling right now. Jack was a much-loved son, grandson, brother, cousin, nephew and boyfriend. We know that nothing will bring Jack back, but we just want to try and understand the lead-up to his passing."

Jack, who boxed at Pyramid Boxing Club, was also remembered by his coaches and teammates.

In a tribute released shortly after his death, the club said: "It is with great sadness that Pyramid Boxing Club has lost one of our young talented boxers. Jack was a friend, a family man and a true warrior and he will never know how much we will miss him. Thoughts go out to all of Jack's family and friends at this sad time."

More local stories:

• Push for new rules on Glastonbury AirBnBs as officials highlight dire housing situation
• Street elf skate record bid sees 193 take to Clarks Village ice
• Somerset council tax reforms leave thousands on universal credit facing bigger bills

Sign up to your nearest Nub News newsletter and get the top stories from across the area every Friday.