THE Dorset police inspector found dead at Sandbanks shoreline had been suffering from chronic depression, the coroner has heard.

Insp Neil Munro was found last Thursday and a post mortem examination found that he had drowned.

An inquest into the 43-year-old's death was opened at Bournemouth Coroner's Court and adjourned to allow further investigation.

Coroner's officer Julian Jeneson told Coroner Sheriff Payne he was called to the rear of a house in Panorama Road at 11.45am.

He said Crime Scene Investigator Tony Muttock identified Insp Monro's body to him.

Mr Jeneson said the body was taken to Dorchester Hospital where pathologist Basil Purdue gave the cause of death as drowning, subject to toxicology tests.

The court heard Insp Munro was born in Dunoon, Scotland, on October 23, 1964.

Mr Jeneson said: "The inspector was known to be suffering from chronic depression and was last seen at lunchtime.

"He was found at 8.30am the next morning."

Insp Munro, who had a 21-month old son Jack, was described as "a devoted, loyal and proud family man", by wife Melanie, 33, in a statement released by the police.

He had most recently served as head of policing for north Bournemouth, based at Winton.

A Brittany Ferries ticket found on his body was traced to a man who boarded the Barfleur for the Poole-Cherbourg crossing at 11.45pm on Wednesday evening.