A MAN drowned after jumping into the River Severn for a £10 bet.

Hundreds watched in horror as Lee Muldowney disappeared under the water after Worcestershire's one-day match with South Africa on Wednesday, June 25.

An inquest at Stourport-on-Severn yesterday heard that the 21-year-old had travelled to the New Road county cricket ground with friends Mark Sharples, Adrian Harris, Christopher Jones, Luke Mills and Peter Gurnuy.

They stopped at Safeway and tucked into a cooked breakfast before catching the train to Worcester, where Mr Muldowney bought four cans of lager before heading to the cricket ground.

Another friend, Richard Williams, a draughtsman from Hereford, said he saw him drink all four cans.

The inquest heard that, at 2pm, they left the ground and went to Bushwackers bar in the city centre for lunch.

Mr Muldowney - a trainee structural engineer, of Bankside, Dilwyn, near Leominster - had a pint of lager before buying another drink, which they shared. They then returned to the ground to continue watching the match and left at 6pm, with some of the group stopping off to use the lavatory.

In a statement read to the court, Mr Williams said that, when the friends caught up with the main group, some of them were saying: "Lee's bet us £10 that he would jump off the bridge."

Others joined in, including Mr Williams, who said he thought it was a joke.

But, as he looked back, Mr Muldowney had removed his shirt and was taking his trousers off.

He then stood on Worcester Bridge and jumped, feet first, into the water.

They watched him disappear under the water and then resurface, swimming towards the Cathedral side of the bank.

But he was forced to turn back when he realised he could not climb out of the water because of a high brick wall.

As he was swam towards the ground side of the river he fell into difficulty.

"I did hear him shout a couple of times after he got into difficulty, but his voice wasn't very loud," said Richard.

Two life-belts were thrown into the water, but he was unable to reach them and slipped under the water and drowned.

His body was recovered from the river by a Severn Area Rescue Association crew at 11.15am the next day.

"Unfortunately, some young man dies swimming in the River Severn every summer," said Worcestershire coroner Victor Round, recording a verdict of accidental death.