Bispham man who had been 'struggling to breathe' found dead at home after neighbour's concerns
Man who lived alone had various health issues and history of drug use
A 61-year-old year old man was found dead in his home after a neighbour raised concerns.
Police and paramedics called to the scene at Braemar Walk, Bispham, found Steven Bexton unresponsive and his death was confirm, an an inquest at Blackpool Town Hall heard.
Mr Bexton, described as “a bit of a hermit” by the neighbour, it was said at the inquest, lived along and had a history of drug use as well as various health issues.
A post mortem found that he died of acute heart failure due to heart disease, pneumonia, which he was found to be suffering from at the time, and methadone toxicity.
Blackpool and Fylde chief coroner Alan Wilson opted to add pulmonary disease to the secondary causes of death in giving his conclusion.
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The coroner said Mr Bexton had been prescribed methadone and that paramedics at the scene found a substantial amount of the medication was missing from a bottle found at the scene but there was no note and no evidence that Mr Bexton had intended any self-harm.
Mr Bexton was last seen some 11 hours before he was discovered in his home in the early hours of February 10.
The neighbour who alerted emergency services said he appeared to be struggling to breathe at the time.
Mr Wilson returned a narrative conclusion based on the circumstances of Mr Bexton’s death.