A SEASONED traveller died after he slipped and fell down a ravine while tracking a rare lizard in the United States.

An inquest yesterday into the death of Stephen Vanderhoeven from Carterton heard he was found with a broken neck at the bottom of a 100ft ravine in Arizona last June.

Oxford Coroner's Court heard the 56-year-old research chemist had flown to the state on June 10 to track and photograph the rare lizard in a mountainous area near the capital Phoenix.

But on June 14 his partner Tracey Murray called police in Arizona after he did not meet her off his return flight at Heathrow Airport as planned.

Mr Vanderhoeven's body was then found by a helicopter search.

In a statement read to the court Ms Murray said she last heard from him on June 12, but that he had travelled abroad on more than 200 occasions and often did not get in touch for a couple of days.

But after waiting one or two hours after his flight had landed without him turning up she got in touch with his hotel and then the local police.

A camera was found along with Mr Vanderhoeven's body at the bottom of the ravine on Camelback Mountain, with the last photo taken at 9.51am on June 12.

Oxfordshire Coroner Darren Salter said an investigative summary by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office said Mr Vanderhoeven's body was found 100ft below a 'sub trail' where there was 'poor footing' and 'loose dirt'.

The report said there were slide marks suggesting Mr Vanderhoeven might have lost his footing and slipped.

Mr Salter recorded a conclusion of accidental death.