DRIVER'S TRAGIC DEATH ON MARSH

Patrick Webster, 33, who is thought to have had a bladder complaint, had been driving his wife and a woman friend home in the early hours of Monday when the tragedy occurred.

Mr Webster, of Etherton Way, parked the car at the side of the A259 on Romney Marsh, near Rye, at about 3am and walked off into the darkness to find a private spot.

The two women became increasingly concerned when he failed to return and started to look for him, calling out his name as they searched.

A passing motorist noticed the women and, after hearing their story, phoned the police.

At 4.30pm, two police officers from Kent came across the victim lying dead in a water-filled drainage ditch close to the road at East Guldeford.

It took 30 minutes for a specialist team of firefighters from Battle, who are trained in water rescues and recovery, to retrieve the body.

Nigel Burch from Battle fire station said: 'We got a call at 5.13am of a person in the water.

'Two pumping appliances from Rye attended and another one from Battle.

'They actually sent the animal rescue unit from Crowborough as well but that is because it has extra water safety equipment.

'Between the two units they recovered the body.'

Police are not treating the death as suspicious. A spokesman said: 'It looks like he slid down the side of the ditch into the water and couldn't get out again.

'This appears to have been a terrible accident. Our thoughts are with the man's family and friends.'

Inspector Warren Franklin, of Rye police, said: 'It is a strange circumstance but the area has a lot of old canals. We have had incidences of cars slipping down the embankments before.'

The two distraught women were comforted at the scene before they were taken back to the couple's home in Seaford.