A YOUNG Flintshire man who was the "light and soul of every room he was in" died in a swimming pool tragedy whilst abroad, an inquest was told. 

Charlie Michael Christopher Hopkins, formerly of Spon Green, Buckley, died at the Turquoise Petit hotel in the Tulum area of Mexico in the early hours of April 9, 2021. 

At County Hall in Ruthin on Friday (March 31), an inquest was held into the 23-year-old's death. 

It was told that Mr Hopkins had checked into the hotel the previous day (April 8). 

CCTV footage played to the court shows Mr Hopkins walking along a balcony at 1.50am on April 9, before briefly entering the reception area of the hotel. 

A short time later, a camera covering the pool area of the hotel captures the moment a figure falls from height into the pool - before sinking to the bottom. 

Later that morning, a body, later identified as Mr Hopkins, was found in the swimming pool. 

A post-mortem undertaken in Mexico found that Mr Hopkins drowned after suffering a skull fracture. 

After Mr Hopkins' body was returned to the UK, a second post-mortem was undertaken by Home Office pathologist, Dr Brian Rodgers. He ruled that Mr Hopkins died of a blunt force head injury and drowning, consistent with a fall from height. 

John Gittins, senior coroner for North Wales East and Central, recorded a conclusion of accidental death. He said: "There is absolutely no evidence that this was a deliberate act of self-harm." 

A family statement read out to the court described Mr Hopkins as being the "life and soul of every room he was in" and that he had a "bubbly and outgoing" personality. 

Mark Hopkins said on behalf of his family: "Charlie would always finish talking to someone and say 'I love that person' - that's just the sort of person he was. He saw only the good in everyone."

Mr Hopkins was formerly a student at University College London and was a dedicated campaigner of LGBT rights. He had also spent time living in Berlin prior to visiting Mexico.

Mr Hopkins' family said his death has left them "broken" and that their lives have been "turned upside down."