The mystery of a missing pensioner who disappeared 14 years ago has finally been laid to rest by a coroner.

Schizophrenic Walter Denson disappeared after visiting a psychiatric hospital in August 1988.

His remains were discovered earlier this year.

Yesterday's inquest finally answered some of the questions surrounding his disappearance. And it closed an investigation by coroner's officer Eric Miller.

Mr Miller, who worked in the Eastbourne area until his retirement four years ago, finally gave the report he had prepared on Mr Denson 14 years earlier.

The court heard Mr Denson, 71, of De Roos Road, Eastbourne, vanished on 26 August, 1988, after attending as a day patient at Hellingly Psychiatric Hospital, Hellingly, near Hailsham.

A huge land and water search was mounted but no trace was found.

In April this year classroom assistant Karen Perez, of Warwick Close, Hailsham, was walking with her partner and daughter when she stumbled across a human skull in undergrowth at Park Woods near the hospital. A large scale police search and uncovered further bones, teeth and clothing.

Mr Miller told the court Mr Denson had attended the day centre four times a week. Mr Denson had previously attempted suicide but had not gone missing before.

Pathologist Christopher Moffat carried out an examination of the remains. The skull had two bore holes in either side of it. Mr Denson had been given an leucotomy operation in 1952, which involved drilling and removing part of the brain to relieve anxiety.

The coroner, sitting at Eastbourne Magistrates Court, heard from Detective Inspector David Oakley that Mr Denson had been incontinent.

Mr Oakley said Mr Denson may have gone into the woods to relieve himself when he suffered a heart attack.

Mr Craze said nothing could be ruled out and recorded an open verdict.