A man was found dead in a water tank at allotments in East Finchley on Thursday.

Police identified him as 60-year-old John McNally of Upper Holloway who had been working on allotments adjoining St Martin's School in the High Road shortly before collapsing backwards into a water tank measuring just 3ft by 2ft and filled with two and half feet of water.

Police suspected Mr McNally may have drowned after suffering a cut to the back of his head during his fall.

But Hornsey Coroner's Court confirmed that Mr McNally in fact died of a heart attack.

Sean Cassidy, secretary of East Finchley Allotments Society, said Mr McNally had worked a plot there for more than ten years.

"He was a very good gardener and interested in his allotment. He was also a very friendly person who always had few words to say."

Mr McNally's funeral will be held at noon today at St Gabriel's Church in Holloway Road.

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