A HABITUAL drug user was killed by a mixture of heroine and cocaine exacerbated by existing medical problems.

The inquest into the death of Keiron Edward Burns, a 32-year-old father-of-four, was held at Barrow Town Hall yesterday. 

Assistant coroner for Cumbria, Mr Paul O'Donnell, ruled his death was drug related.

Mr Burns was found dead in his aunt's house in Kent Square, Ulverston, on the morning of September 12, 2014.

He had returned from Barrow the day before and it was obvious to his aunt, Katherine Hurst, he had taken something, she presumed heroine.

She told the inquest she was so concerned about his behaviour she took a photo to show him: "so I could show him what I had to look at the day before, so he could understand," she said.

She left him asleep on the couch at 10.30pm and when she woke at 6.40am she found him dead in the same position.

Describing her nephew as a "lovely person" Katherine Hurst said: "He had talked a great deal about trying to improve things and get on the right track. He wanted to get himself back on track so he could start seeing his children again."

Paramedics attended the address in Kent Square and pronounced Mr Burns dead.

Police also attended and found no obvious sign of trauma or injury to his body but found dry wraps secreted in his anus.

Home office pathologist, Dr Medcalf, carried out a post mortem and found Mr Burns was suffering from pneumonia. There was inflammation to his heart and his lungs were filled with fluid. Dr Medcalf also found needle puncture marks in Mr Burns' right groin. Toxicology results showed he had recently ingested cocaine and herione.

In conclusion Mr O'Donnell said: "The problem I have is there is no evidence before me as to when Keiron  took drugs, by what means, how and in what volumes. What concerns me slightly is it's very unlikely he ingested any drugs after 5.30pm. I've no other evidence available to me as to when Keiron took the drugs and what his intentions were in doing so. It's clear he was heavily into the drug scene and a methadone subscriber for more than five years."

Mr O'Donnell concluded that the medical cause of death was heroine and cocaine toxicity with myocardial injury and bronchopneumonia.