A FATHER-OF-ONE found collapsed in a hostel died as a result of alcohol and drugs.

An inquest heard Andrew Todd was found by a friend in Jay’s Properties in Bolton Road, Blackburn, on December 28 last year.

His friend said Mr Todd had taken heroin and cocaine shortly before his death and then went to the toilet.

After Mr Todd failed to return, his friend grew concerned and went to look for him, finding him collapsed in a narrow corridor outside the toilet.

The 45-year-old was taken to Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital but died three days later on December 31.

His brother Charlie paid tribute to Mr Todd, describing him as a keen motorcycling enthusiast and a brilliant older brother with a super sense of humour.

He said: “He was born in Burnley and lived there most of his life.

“He spent his youth in neighbouring Worsthorne and was a keen motorcycling enthusiast.

“Andrew always had a couple of motorcycles and was interested in anything with a wheel on it.”

“He had a super sense of humour and was a brilliant older brother and proud father to a son.”

The hearing in Blackburn heard that Mr Todd had a history of drug dependency and had become more reliant on drugs following the death of his father.

He had also visited drugs and alcohol charity Inspire.

Charlie said: “Andrew was housed in unfamiliar territory to him which left him to deteriorate.”

After being found collapsed, paramedics were called to the hostel where CPR attempts were made and he was transferred to hospital, before he was then transferred to the intensive care unit.

Dr Robert Shawcross, an intensive care consultant at the hospital, said a urine sample taken showed cocaine metabolite and cannabis metabolite

He said: “I first saw him on December 29. He had a severe brain injury which I don’t think was survivable.

“He had a hypoxic brain injury which was caused by a cardiac arrest and a drugs overdose.”

Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen coroner James Newman, concluding, said: “Andrew’s death was drug and alcohol-related, with urine samples showing levels were sufficient to cause a cardiac arrest which led to a catastrophic hypoxic brain injury.”