A GENEROUS woman has paid tribute to the man she voluntarily cared for during his struggle with alcoholism. 

The inquest into the death of John Hunt was held this week following his death at home in Barrow just before Christmas last year. 

Tara Parrish found the 66-year-old unresponsive in his flat in Jefferson House, Clifford Street, on December 22. 

His inquest, held in Barrow Town Hall on Tuesday, was told he had a history of alcohol excess and died after suffering a ruptured oesophagus. 

He also had alcoholic ketoacidosis – a condition which meant he did not eat enough and vomited regularly, meaning his body did not produce enough insulin. 

He drank two bottles of whisky and two bottles of cider each week. Mrs Parrish looked after Mr Hunt, who was unable to walk and properly take care of himself. 

She told the inquest he had sometimes looked after her as a little girl through knowing her mum. 

But they became good friends, particularly over the last 12 months, as she did his chores, made his food, did his shopping, and even popped over to turn his heating on and off when he asked. 

In a tribute written after the hearing, Mrs Parrish, of Keith Street, Barrow, said: “Dear John, this is not the end. It was an absolute pleasure. 

“Special friends are hard to come by, but I found one in you. May you rest in peace and know you were loved and will sadly and truly be missed. Your friend, Tara.” 

Mrs Parrish told the inquest that Mr Hunt, who was married twice and a father-of-four, was stubborn and refused her attempts to get him doctor appointments. 

He also would not use the walking frame she got him, or allow a carer to attend. 

He had not been to his doctors’ surgery for more than seven years. Mrs Parrish laughed as she described his stubborn ways, and cried as she described the night she found him dead on his sofa, as she and her husband went round to help him put together the bikes he had bought her children for Christmas. 

Mr Hunt’s brother Michael told the inquest he was a retired auto electrician with an impressive CV which saw him work self-employed, at BAE Systems, GSK, Barrow gas terminals and elsewhere in the UK and Ireland. 

Mr Robert Chapman, assistant Cumbria coroner, recorded a conclusion of alcohol-related death. 

He told Mrs Parrish: “It’s quite clear that you and your mother looked after him and did a fantastic job. 

“Unfortunately, it seems the main problem he had, from a health point of view, was drink. 

“It’s a great shame, for somebody who has clearly been a proud man, that he was not able to survive. He effectively drank too much over the years.”