Cause of double fatal still unknown

The exact causes of the deaths of two men in a Great Yarmouth garage 11 days ago will not be known for a few weeks, it has been revealed.

James Hall, 60, and Andrew Ventham, 49, were found dead at Hall's Garage in Camden Place on Monday, November 2.

Opening and adjourning the men's inquests, Yarmouth coroner Keith Dowding was told that further toxicology and histology tests were needed to confirm how Mr Hall and Mr Ventham had died.

Meanwhile, after the inquest police said that they were sifting through possible new evidence into missing Yarmouth father-of-three Derick Tempest who may have had links with Mr Hall and Mr Ventham.

Mr Tempest, 30, is believed to have visited Hall's Garage on the afternoon he went missing in the nearby Blackfriars Road area - Wednesday, October 28.

The inquest at Yarmouth Magistrates Court was told that on the early afternoon of November 3 Mr Hall and Mr Ventham were found sitting in a Fiat car in the garage by a friend. Despite attempts to resuscitate both men they were pronounced dead at 1.58pm.

The inquest was told that no cause of death could be given as further tests were needed.

Mr Dowding said: 'At the present the cause of death has yet to ascertained.'

Giving evidence Det Insp Gary Bloomfield said that police investigating the disappearance of Mr Tempest were linking him to the dead men.

After the inquest Det Insp Bloomfield said it would be a 'few weeks' before the results of further histology and toxicology tests on Mr Hall and Mr Ventham were known.

He also said he could not confirm if the dead men had left a suicide note and would not reveal any of their personal and family details.

It is believed that Mr Hall had been a power boater racer and a member of the Fine City Vans Club, a Norwich-based group for fans of custom vans, in the 1970s and 1980s.

Both men, who lived in the same house in Queen's Road, Yarmouth, were keen motorcyclists.

Det Insp Bloomfield also said that extensive street to street enquiries in the Blackfriars Road area on Wednesday afternoon into the disappearance of Mr Tempest, of Nottingham Way, may prove fruitful.

He said: 'A large number of people provided information and currently we are looking through that data to see if it can help with our lines of enquiries.'

Yesterday police will still on scene at Hall's Garage and the home of Mr Hall and Mr Ventham.

Mr Dowding adjourned the inquests into Mr Hall and Mr Ventham until January 14. He also issued an interim death certificate for both men, who can not be buried until the further tests results are revealed.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mr Tempest should call Norfolk Constabulary on 0845 4564567.