An inquest into the death of RAF gunner Corrie McKeague has concluded he died after he got into a bin which was tipped into a waste lorry.

Mr McKeague, who was based at RAF Honington in Suffolk, was 23 when he disappeared in the early hours of September 24, 2016 after a night out in Bury St Edmunds.

Today, Tuesday, March 22, a jury inquest at Suffolk Coroner's Court recorded in a narrative conclusion that Mr McKeague was in a bin that was tipped into a waste lorry.

In their conclusion, they said Mr McKeague’s “death was contributed to by impaired judgment due to alcohol consumption”.

They said there were “ineffective bin locks”, an “ineffective search of the bin” before it was tipped, and “poor visibility through a Perspex viewing window on the lorry”.

Members of Mr McKeague’s family, including his mother, father, two brothers and his daughter’s mother, were in court as the jury returned its findings.

The inquest, which lasted for two weeks, was earlier told that Mr McKeague, who was stationed at RAF Honington, had slept in a bin before.

He had also slept under bin bags on a previous night out, using them “like a blanket”, and was a heavy sleeper when drunk, the hearing was told.

He once downed a bottle of wine in 17 seconds, according to a friend, and was described by his former RAF line manager as a “nightmare on the drink”.

Mr McKeague was seen asleep in a shop doorway earlier on September 24 before he woke and walked to the service area where he was last seen.

Waste firm Biffa initially told police the weight of the bin was 11kg (1st 10lbs) but it was later recorded as 116kg (18st 3lbs).

The force said the movement of Mr McKeague’s mobile phone mirrored the movement of the waste lorry that collected the bin from the service area where he was last seen.

Mr McKeague was not seen on CCTV leaving the area on foot.

His father, Martin McKeague, said after the ruling that he hopes his son can “finally be left to rest in peace”, with the inquest shining “a new light on the truth for everyone”.