A heavy drug user was found dead at a friends house after taking a lethal mix of heroine and alcohol, an inquest heard.

Jonathan Mallen, of Edgar Street, Accrington,was found by long-time friend Michael Bolton at his home on Town Hall Square in Great Harwood on August 5 this year. Paramedics were called however he was pronounced dead at the scene aged 38.

Blackburn Coroners Court heard how a post-mortem revealed Mr Mallen had heroine, methadone and alcohol in his system when he died.

The inquest heard how Mr Mallen smoked three £10 bags of heroin a week and drank two litres of 7.5 per cent strength cider every day.

Mr Bolton told the hearing that they had both visited Accrington during August 5 and that Mr Mallen returned to Great Harwood at around 2pm before Mr Bolton arrived later at around 11.20pm.

The inquest heard how Mr Bolton shouted if he wanted anything to eat before finding him not breathing.

Mr Bolton said Mr Mallen was a heroin addict and ‘had binges’ and ‘used every day’ but that he had more of an alcohol problem than a heroin one.

A statement read out at the inquest from Chris Hill, a project manager at substance misuse service Inspire, told how Mr Mallen came into substance misuse treatment services in June 2008 and was prescribed methadone.

Mr Hill said that Mr Mallen had been subject to several drug rehabilitation requirements and required to attend weekly appointments but this was ‘erratic’.

The inquest heard how Mr Mallen had not picked up his methadone prescription on three of the previous four days before his death and had previously had it cancelled due to his ‘use of alcohol and other substances’.

Mr Hill said in his statement: “He regularly reported using heroin. He had a history of both smoking and injecting the substance.”

Mr Mill said he had been referred to several detoxification and rehabilitation units but appeared to lack the motivation and ability to live a substance-free lifestyle despite these various opportunities.

Dr Mohammed Aslam said Mr Mallen died of cardiorespiratory failure due to multi-drug toxicity and contributing was liver cirrhosis.

Coroner Michael Singleton ruled it was a drug and alcohol related death.

He said: “It seems to me he was given every opportunity but that drugs are an invidious and corrosive thing that overpowers people.

“I find it staggering that anybody would volunteer for this in the first place. I see very little evidence before me that any good ever comes from taking any of these substances.”