Mystery still remains over drowning deaths of Wirral couple Hayley Holmes and Robbie Crofts

Feb 22 2012 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

A YOUNG couple drowned on a late night visit to a Wirral beach, an inquest heard.

The body of student Hayley Holmes, 17, was found by dog walkers in New Brighton on August 29.

A pair of women’s sandals and a pair of men’s grey trainers were found on a slipway nearby along with a mobile phone, socks and a £20 note. The body of her boyfriend, Robbie Crofts, 21, was discovered in the River Mersey nearly two weeks later after a huge search operation.

Wirral Coroner Christopher Johnson speculated that due to the way their footwear had been found the couple may have gone “paddling” but said the exact circumstances would never be known.

The inquest was told the couple had spent the previous day together in Liverpool city centre at the Mathew Street Festival.

They later made their way to Robbie’s home in New Brighton.

Between 10.45pm and 11.15pm support worker Robbie replied to a text message from a friend, telling him he was with Hayley, who was from Birkenhead, and they were going to the beach.

Her body was found just before 7am the next day near Fort Perch Rock.

A post-mortem found the cause of Hayley’s death as drowning while Robbie’s death was “consistent with drowning”.

Mr Johnson recorded a narrative verdict.