A 25-year-old Burton man who had battled with drug problems for years was found dead at a friend's home with traces of cocaine, cannabis and heroin in his system, an inquest heard.

Thomas Hart, of Balfour Street, in Burton, died on June 30 after taking drugs and spending the night at a friend's house in Blackpool Street.

The inquest, held at Burton Town Hall, heard that Mr Hart had a number of prescribed and illicit drugs in his system including cocaine, cannabis, heroin and alprazolam.

Mr Hart's family last saw him on June 29 where he appeared to be "quite well and positive" but it became apparent to them that he had taken something. They took him to his partner's house but then he went out to get more drugs.

PC Narindra Jhall, of Burton Police Station, said that Mr Hart went to a friend's house in Winshill. He told police that he was upstairs with his children when he heard Mr Hart downstairs talking to his partner.

He asked Mr Hart how he was getting on with his partner and was told they had had an argument. His friend said that he did not see him eat, drink or take any drugs while he was at the house and he was not aware that he had taken any drugs.

However, he did note that Mr Hart was "slumpy and his speech was slurry" and he kept licking his lips as if they were dry.

The audit was fed back at a meeting of councillors at Burton town hall
The inquest was held at Burton Town Hall

His friend's partner said she was not aware Mr Hart was on drugs but he showed her a tablet which she was told was Valium and had been bought on the internet.

He haShe was not sure how many of the tablets had been consumed and they allowed him to stay the night.

At around 4am his friend checked on Mr Hart and noted he was snoring but at 6.15am when his alarm went off, he went downstairs and found his lips were blue and he was not responding.

He was shaking him to make him wake up but could not and his partner tried mouth to mouth resuscitation and chest compressions.

The ambulance was called at 7.55am after he had taken the children to school. Police found a tablet in Mr Hart's pocket during the investigation and drug paraphernalia in his flat.

The hearing was told he was purchasing drugs online and had willingly taken them.

Ediela Iliescu, a consultant psychiatrist for the South Staffordshire NHS Trust, said that Mr Hart had been getting treatment with the trust for three years prior to his death.

He had undergone previous rehabilitation treatment and had completed workshops, working well with key workers.

He had a pattern of being stable while on methadone and then having binges using a combination of drugs. However, there were no concerns about an overdose when they saw him.

She said that the last time he was seen his treatment had been successful and they wanted to lower the dose.

His physical health was good although mentally he said he was "pretty rubbish" but had no suicidal or harmful thoughts.

Mr Hart was also taking antidepressants as he was struggling with anxiety.

During the inquest, Mr Hart's father Michael said: "In the opinion of the family this was accidental and Thomas did not intend for this to happen.

"He comes from a loving and caring home and had been very positive that he was on the way to recovery that afternoon.

"He would binge on drugs. I believe that this was a miscalculation."

South Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh said that Mr Hart died as the result of a combined opium and alprazolam toxicity. He ruled that it was a drug-related death.

Mr Haigh passed on his sympathy to Mr Hart's family.