The grieving wife of a man who drowned in a Huddersfield canal along with her son has spoken about her devastating loss.

Angela Andrews, 44, said she is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her 43-year-old husband Martin and their 19-year-old son Jack.

Their bodies were found by an underwater police search team on the evening of Saturday, June 16.

An inquest into their deaths opened today at Bradford Coroner’s Court.

Jack Andrews, and right, the scene where he died while magnet fishing with his dad Martin
Jack Andrews, and right, the scene where he died while magnet fishing with his dad Martin

Assistant Coroner Peter Merchant heard that a member of the public alerted police after finding some of their belongings on the canal bank.

Coroners officer Paul Denison said police arrived to find a mobile phone ringing - it was Mrs Andrews trying to contact them.

Angela Andrews, wife and mother of Martin and Jack Andrews who died in Huddersfield canal

He said: “The officer spoke to the wife who stated that her husband and son had not returned home and it was out of character for them not to be home before lunchtime.”

He added that pathologist Dr Lisa Barker said both father and son had died from drowning.

Mrs Andrews, who didn’t attend the inquest, told ITV Yorkshire earlier: “I feel like I have been robbed of my future. I told them that when I went to see them at the Chapel of Rest, like how can you leave us like that?”

Martin Andrews, who died while out magnet fishing at Cooper Bridge with his son Jack
Martin Andrews, who died while out magnet fishing at Cooper Bridge with his son Jack

The two had left their home in Pudsey early on Saturday morning to go magnet fishing, a new hobby they had recently taken up.

Mrs Andrews said: “I never got to kiss him goodbye that morning because I was in the shower when they left.

“And my last words to them were: ‘Stay safe, be careful. Don’t go in the water.’

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The inquest heard that sadly their bodies were found near the floodgates.

Mrs Andrews said: “They were together in the bottom of the lock, round each other, so it looked like one had fallen in, the other had gone after.

“They’re both heroes to me, they’ve tried to save each other.”

She said they had only recently discovered the hobby of magnet fishing and had bonded over collecting old and unusual items. The hobby involves a large magnet being dragged along the canal or river bottom on a rope which drags up all kinds of metallic objects.

She said: “It came about because my brother came across a bottle - an old glass bottle in a river and really wanted to find out about it and he thought I wonder what else we could find.

“So we got the magnets and it properly bonded them together.”

She said she had drawn comfort from the local community’s support and offers to help fundraise for the funerals.

She added: “It’s been overwhelming. Every Father’s Day will be a reminder of the tragedy but also a reminder of the bond between Martin and Jack who died doing something they loved.”

Mr Merchant adjourned the inquest to a future date.