A MAN who stopped breathing after taking ‘a cocktail’ of drugs at his friend’s house died of pneumonia, an inquest heard.

Andrew Hill, 38, from Accrington, was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital after he had taken heroin, cocaine and valium on July 20, last year.

The inquest at Blackburn Enterprise Centre heard the labourer, of Empire House in Edgar Street, Accrington, had recently come out of a drug rehabilitation centre before his death.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The inquest heard Cara Bates, Mr Hill’s partner, said she could tell he had taken drugs after going round to the house to find him.

“Andrew was sat up, but not concious, he was breathing, loudly snoring.

“It was clear he had taken drugs. I saw one of his socks off with blood coming from his foot.

“His breathing changed, he was snoring normally then he stopped for a second, then he started again, I thought he was all right.”

Ms Bates called an ambulance after it happened again.

The inquest heard Mr Hill had stopped breathing due to an overdose of heroin and cocaine and suffered a cardiac arrest.

For several days Mr Hill’s condition deteriorated and an infection was spotted in the wall of his lungs.

Despite a few signs of improvement, he died on August 20.

Following a post mortem examination, Dr Muammer Al-Mudhaffer from Royal Blackburn Hospital said he detected acute pneumonia.

Michael Singleton, East Lancashire’s coroner, said: “The medical cause of death was bronchopneumonia but contributing was the heroin and cocaine and benzodiazepine (valium) toxicity.

“It seems to me Andrew was trying to fight his demons.

“I give my heartfelt sympathy to the family.”

On June 20 Andrew had a cocktail of drugs and suffered a cardiac arrest.

“He was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital but despite treatment, he developed Bronchopneumonia and subsequently died.

“This stemmed directly with consumption of drugs, this was a drugs-related death