A much-loved keen fisherman died of asphyxiation, an inquest heard yesterday.

Dereham Times: Jordie Rae. Photo: The Rae family.Jordie Rae. Photo: The Rae family. (Image: Archant)

Jordie Rae, 28, of Florence Walk, Dereham, died in the early hours of Saturday, July 15.

He was found by a dog walker in a field between Rolling Pin Lane and Carlton Close in Dereham after being declared missing by his family hours before.

A statement written by his mother Tracey Rae said Mr Rae had been struggling to cope after his wife left him two weeks earlier.

She said: 'He seemed to be trying to be positive about the situation. He had written a post on social media saying 'onwards and upwards'.'

Dereham Times: A memorial left by friends and family of Jordie Rae. Picture Ian ClarkeA memorial left by friends and family of Jordie Rae. Picture Ian Clarke (Image: Archant)

The statement described how in the week preceding his death, Mr Rae had been on a fishing trip with friends and returned to work as a shot blaster and paint sprayer.

The day before his death someone had said negative comments to Mr Rae about his marriage and he had been to the pub with his brother to forget about the day.

Later that night, after his family thought he had gone to bed, Mr Rae left the house.

Senior coroner for Norfolk, Jacqueline Lake, recorded a narrative verdict declaring that Mr Rae died of asphyxiation but had not intended to take his own life.

Dereham Times: Jordie Rae. Photo: The Rae family.Jordie Rae. Photo: The Rae family. (Image: Archant)

After his death, Mr Rae's father George Rae said: 'He'll never be forgotten, he was one of those people, the whole town is crying. People are devastated.

'On the day we found out we couldn't go anywhere without being stopped, people were crying and saying 'poor old Mr Rae'.

'Everyone loved him and we just didn't envisage how many.'

Mrs Rae said: 'There's a message from the skate park on Facebook which says 'I'll never forget him, I was being bullied at the skate park and some guys nicked my wine gums and Jordie told me not to worry'.

'He then went to Morrisons and got a new pack – he just wouldn't think twice about helping anybody.'