By . Belinda Robinson . Tragic death: Kayaker Gareth Lockyer, 34, was found dead in the River Usk in Powys . An exhausted kayaker who drowned after becoming trapped underwater was overheard muttering ‘I’ve got nothing left,’ before he died his girlfriend told an inquest. Gareth Lockyer, 34, from Warwick was paddling along the swollen River Usk, near Brecon, South Wales when his kayak capsized, tipping him into the water. The Kayak-enthusiast had been enjoying a day out on the river in February with his girlfriend Emma North but became separated from the group he was with at Llangynidr, near Crickhowell, on Sunday lunchtime. The safety strap attached to his leg became snagged on the trunk of a fallen tree, dragging him under the surface. Rescuers found his body at 11.20 GMT the following day in the swollen waters of the River Usk. During an inquest into his death in Brecon, his distraught girlfriend told how Gareth struggled to free himself from the safety strap in the fast flowing river. She said: ‘I called to Gareth to keep swimming and Gareth got really close - then I heard him say 'I've got nothing left'.’ His family said he had never visited the Crickhowell section of the River Usk before, but was excited about going to Wales. Before his death, the 34-year-old University of Nottingham engineering graduate had been . warned about keeping the safety strap under his life jacket. But he had wanted to be able to grab it quickly to help others in trouble. In happier times: Gareth Lockyer, right, is pictured with his girlfriend Emma North, left, who heard him say his last words . Rescue effort: Rescue workers used a  raft to search along the swollen river Usk in Llangynidr, near Crickhowell, Powys in the Welsh countryside in Febuary . Powys . coroner Andrew Barkley recorded a narrative verdict saying: ‘It seems . likely that his body had been held underwater by the strap being snagged . in the undergrowth.’ In an . outpouring of grief, his family paid tribute to the sports fan who . enjoyed mountain biking and hill walking along with kayaking. They said that Mr Lockyer was always watching out for other people and putting others before himself and described him as 'kind and gentle.' They also thanked members of the emergency services who were involved in searching for him. Search: An RAF rescue helicopter joins the search for the missing man . Rescue: A rescue helicopter searches for Mr Lockyer who had struggled to free himself from the safety strap in the fast flowing river . Search and rescue: Officers from a marine unit at Pembrokeshire were drafted in, along with specialist dogs, to help with the search for missing Mr Lockyer, right, who was eventually found dead . Officers from a marine unit at Pembrokeshire were drafted in, along with specialist dogs, to help with the search. Inspector Stuart Eckley also thanked the people of Llangynidr for ‘the excellent support the community has shown to us’. Mr Lockyer grew up in the Cotswolds but more recently had lived in Warwick with his partner Emma. He was a graduate of the University of Nottingham and worked as a mechanical design engineer and was a member of The Leamington Spa canoe club – where he had a profile page online. Since his death, the page has been closed. But it had featured a famous quote: ‘There is nothing half as nice as messing about on the river.’
The Kayak-enthusiast had been enjoying a day out on a river in South Wales .
But the safety strap attached to his leg became snagged on a tree dragging him under the surface .
Rescuers found his body a day later in the swollen River Usk .
His heartbroken family paid tribute to a 'kind and gentle' man .
By . Belinda Robinson . Tragic death: Kayaker Gareth Lockyer, 34, was found dead in the River Usk in Powys . An exhausted kayaker who drowned after becoming trapped underwater was overheard muttering ‘I’ve got nothing left,’ before he died his girlfriend told an inquest. Gareth Lockyer, 34, from Warwick was paddling along the swollen River Usk, near Brecon, South Wales when his kayak capsized, tipping him into the water. The Kayak-enthusiast had been enjoying a day out on the river in February with his girlfriend Emma North but became separated from the group he was with at Llangynidr, near Crickhowell, on Sunday lunchtime. The safety strap attached to his leg became snagged on the trunk of a fallen tree, dragging him under the surface. Rescuers found his body at 11.20 GMT the following day in the swollen waters of the River Usk. During an inquest into his death in Brecon, his distraught girlfriend told how Gareth struggled to free himself from the safety strap in the fast flowing river. She said: ‘I called to Gareth to keep swimming and Gareth got really close - then I heard him say 'I've got nothing left'.’ His family said he had never visited the Crickhowell section of the River Usk before, but was excited about going to Wales. Before his death, the 34-year-old University of Nottingham engineering graduate had been . warned about keeping the safety strap under his life jacket. But he had wanted to be able to grab it quickly to help others in trouble. In happier times: Gareth Lockyer, right, is pictured with his girlfriend Emma North, left, who heard him say his last words . Rescue effort: Rescue workers used a raft to search along the swollen river Usk in Llangynidr, near Crickhowell, Powys in the Welsh countryside in Febuary . Powys . coroner Andrew Barkley recorded a narrative verdict saying: ‘It seems . likely that his body had been held underwater by the strap being snagged . in the undergrowth.’ In an . outpouring of grief, his family paid tribute to the sports fan who . enjoyed mountain biking and hill walking along with kayaking. They said that Mr Lockyer was always watching out for other people and putting others before himself and described him as 'kind and gentle.' They also thanked members of the emergency services who were involved in searching for him. Search: An RAF rescue helicopter joins the search for the missing man . Rescue: A rescue helicopter searches for Mr Lockyer who had struggled to free himself from the safety strap in the fast flowing river . Search and rescue: Officers from a marine unit at Pembrokeshire were drafted in, along with specialist dogs, to help with the search for missing Mr Lockyer, right, who was eventually found dead . Officers from a marine unit at Pembrokeshire were drafted in, along with specialist dogs, to help with the search. Inspector Stuart Eckley also thanked the people of Llangynidr for ‘the excellent support the community has shown to us’. Mr Lockyer grew up in the Cotswolds but more recently had lived in Warwick with his partner Emma. He was a graduate of the University of Nottingham and worked as a mechanical design engineer and was a member of The Leamington Spa canoe club – where he had a profile page online. Since his death, the page has been closed. But it had featured a famous quote: ‘There is nothing half as nice as messing about on the river.’
River Usk, near Brecon, South Wales when his Kayak-enthusiast had been enjoying a day out on lunchtime. The safety strap attached to his leg became snagged on the trunk of a fallen tree, dragging him under the surface. Rescuers found family paid tribute to the sports fan who .