Missing man drowned at fishing lake months after retirement

A missing man drowned at a fishing lake months after his retirement, according to an inquest described in court. Stuart Foulger, 61, had retired from Ipswich Borough Council in March 2025 and was looking forward to fishing again. He left his home at 6:45 a.m. last July with plans to spend the day at Kirton Hall Lake, off Bucklesham Road, and exchanged texts with his wife Joanne, 37 years married, including photos of a large catch. The last message was at 8:30 a.m., and when he did not return he was not found despite searches through the night. At about 11 p.m., his body was recovered in the water roughly 15 to 20 metres from the platform. He was declared dead just before 1 a.m. on July 10, 2025. Coroner Olivia Rose said he likely suffered a sudden incapacitation and concluded his death was an accident.