A keen angler drowned when his new life jacket failed to save him as he fished at Llandegfedd reservoir, an inquest heard today.

Experienced angler Angus Rae, 51, toppled into 30ft of water from a boat when he suffered an epileptic fit.

He won a prize to fish at the reservoir and had bought a new life jacket for his trip.

But the self-inflating life jacket he was wearing for the first time did not turn Mr Rae onto his back as he struggled in the water.

His friend Simon Ladd tried desperately to reach him with an oar but could not save him, the inquest heard.

Mr Ladd said: "Angus was at the stern of the boat when he suddenly he fell into the water.

"He was submerged under the water before the life jacket inflated and he came to the surface."

Other fishermen nearby held him above the water by his shoulders before two reservoir rangers managed to pull him out.

But despite being given CPR from the rangers and later paramedics Mr Rae could not be revived.

The inquest heard the father-of-two had won a raffle to fish for pike at Llandegfedd reservoir near Cwmbran.

Former tree surgeon Mr Rae, of Minsterley, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, had suffered two previous seizures in the months before the tragedy, the inquest at Newport was told.

His widow Alison, 51, told the inquest: "He had researched life jackets on the internet. He wasn't concerned about fishing again because he was wearing his new life jacket and he felt safe."

Gwent deputy coroner Wendy James said: "Mr Rae bought the life jacket after considerable research and was wearing it for the first time. It gave him a sense of security because he thought it would turn him onto his back.

"He believe he had taken adequate precautions by wearing a life jacket."

The coroner ruled Mr Rae had died from drowning after an epileptic fit.

Verdict: Accidental death.