An inquest is set to hear further evidence to ascertain whether more could have been done to prevent the death of a 43-year-old man last year.

Barry Gillard was found dead at his home on Balshaw Close, Deane, on October 4 last year, an inquest at Bolton Coroners Court heard.

Mr Gillard’s mother, Yvonne Harrison, had called the police with a concern for welfare for her son on the afternoon of October 3.

Police attended his address on that date, but after speaking to neighbours who said they had seen him that day, they chose not to force entry into his home.

On October 4, Bolton Council workers attended and gained access to his flat, where they found him unresponsive. Paramedics and police were called and he was pronounced dead.

Notes were found on his kitchen counter where he expressed a "desire to end his life".

Pathologist, Dr Andrew Coates, gave Mr Gillard's cause of death as heroin toxicity.

His family raised concern to the coroner that the police could have done more when they were called to his home on October 3, such as forcing entry to his flat to ascertain if he was well after there was no answer.

Leon Harrison, Mr Gillard's brother, raised the question of multiple 'profiles' for Mr Gillard that Greater Manchester Police had.

Coroner Peter Sigee said: "There were three profiles not clearly linked, with different information to each other.

"One of the three profiles which the police didn't look at had information about previous self harm attempts and consumption of illicit substances.

"It is difficult to say that if they had known that information, would it have changed their mind and changed the action that they took.

"I share the concern you raise in relation to that. I am thinking of raising the issue to GMP about multiple profiles, and gaining further information as to what steps, if any, they are taking to address this issue."

He added: "My preliminary view is, even if police officers had attended and gained access to his home, it is very difficult for me to say what they would have discovered if they had done that.

"If they had found Barry alive but affected by substances, would they have been able to get medical help for him?"

In efforts to answer the question of whether further information would have changed the outcome, Coroner Sigee asked the family whether they would prefer one of three options in how to continue with the inquest.

The options were: for him to listen to the evidence already listed and conclude on the same day, to listen to the evidence and then adjourn to later hear evidence from police involved, or to adjourn for a full inquest with a jury to decide whether police could have done more.

Both the family and the coroner preferred to listen to the evidence and then hear later evidence from the police.

Coroner Sigee said: "I think the evidence from individual police officers who attended would be relevant or of interest to the proceedings."

The inquest was adjourned. It is set to continue on November 9 this year.