A MAN who was swept off the rocks at Mwnt was warned by a friend that he was going to get himself killed before attempting to cross a crevasse in rough seas, an inquest has heard.

Luke Morton, who was visiting Mwnt on Sunday, 7 August, from Quinton near Birmingham decided to walk around the rocks along the coast despite conditions described by witnesses as “very rough” and “intimidating”.

Mr Morton, 23, insisted that Barry McFadden - the brother of his girlfriend Melanie - joined him on his trip around the rocks, saying he was a “wimp” when Mr McFadden was reluctant, the inquest at Aberystwyth on Wednesday heard.

Mr McFadden told the inquest that he was reluctant to go as the sea “looked bad” but said conditions were “much worse once we got out there.”

“I told him he was going to get himself killed but he was just laughing about it,” he said.

Mr McFadden told the inquest that Mr Morton, after jumping down into the crevasse was swept away two or three times by the strong waves while “attempting to save himself.”

“I knew we were in a desperate situation but the last thing Luke said to me was ‘we’ll be laughing about this at home tonight,’” he said.

“I knew if I got into the sea myself I wouldn’t come out again, I would have been swept away as well,” added Mr McFadden.

“If I could have helped him I would have.”

Coastguards and lifeboats scoured the area for two days but found no sign of Mr Morton.

His body was eventually found by Aberystwyth fisherman John Gorman around four miles north of Aberystwyth nearly a month later on 1 September.

Coroner Peter Brunton recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.