A "loving" Bolton man who had longstanding drug problems was found dead at a neighbour's home, an inquest has heard.

Lee Ashton, of Raphael Street, was found unresponsive by a friend at a neighbour's property in December last year.

An inquest into the death of the 47-year-old took place at Bolton Coroners Court on Wednesday.

The proceedings heard he was found on December 7 by Barbara McNamara.

She said he had been awake when she went to bed at around 11pm the previous night, but came downstairs to find him unresponsive.

She called the ambulance and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman described Mr Ashton as “the most wonderful friend I could ever have hoped for".

Pathologist Patrick Waugh said the cause of death was a “toxicity from heroin and methadone” with an underlying cause of “pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”

Coroner Rachel Syed asked: “But for the drug toxicity of heroin and methadone would he, on a balance of probabilities, have died on the day in question from the underlying pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?”

The pathologist replied: “I would not have thought so.

“He has died as a result of drug toxicity.”

The family asked if could state a time for his death, but he was unable to do so.

Sandra Waring, a sister of Mr Ashton said he had had long standing issues with drugs which he had never tried to hide.

She also said he visited his parents often who he was “very loving” towards.

She also confirmed he loved music including Pink Floyd and Phil Collins.

The coroner recorded the cause of death as one of toxicity from heroin and methadone against a background of pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.

She said: “I find as a fact that but for the drug toxicity he would not have died from the underlying conditions.”

She offered her condolences to the family.