The inquest of a Liverpool man, who died while diving off Port Erin, has been hearing of his final moments.

Forty-one year-old Michael Bromsgrove, a bricklayer from Anfield, was with a party of divers visiting the Island in April 2006 when the tragedy occurred.

The court was told Mr Bromsgrove came to the Island with a friend, Albert Roberts, also from Merseyside, and spent a weekend diving around the south of the Island.

On Sunday, April 16 a dive was planned off Bradda Head to the wreck of the Citrine, but the two men decided not to go because the wreck was only 14 metres down and it was thought too easy.

Mr Roberts described it as a ‘Scooby-doo dive’, which meant it was for beginners.

However, at the last minute, Mr Bromsgrove changed his mind and decided to go, putting his gear on as normal before stepping off the back of a boat.

Five minutes later skipper, Scott Waterman of Anglesley, saw Mr Bromsgrove’s head come out of the water and he appeared to dive again.

The inquest then heard how Clive Ward from Yorkshire, who was on the same diving trip and was looking for a piece of equipment he had lost under the water, noticed a diver, Mr Bromsgrove, floating face up just beneath the surface.

He tried to help him, pulling him aboard the boat, where the skipper tried to resuscitate him.

The inquest was told the whole incident lasted only about 10 minutes.

The inquest, before Coroner Michael Moyle at Douglas Courthouse (pictured) is expected to last for three days.