A MAN found collapsed in the snow was close to dying from hypothermia and owes his life to a passer-by, police said.

The 23-year-old man was found with head injuries in an alley way off Sydney Street, Accrington, near the junction of Burnley Road at 9.10am yesterday.

Police said the man's body temperature was 27°C, which is 10° below normal body temerature and a level considered to be fatal.

Officers said that if a passer by had not found him and alerted the authorities he would have been dead 'within an hour'.

Due to the man's head injuries, initial inquiries into a possible assault were made, but the 22-year-old was able to tell officers that no-one else was involved on regaining consciousness some hours later.

Alcohol was thought to be a factor in how he gained his injuries and he said he remembered falling before losing consciousnes, police said.

Detective Inspector Steve Dowson at Accrington CID said: "It's not the sort of thing that most people would get to walk away from, but this man has survived against all the odds.

"It was however an incredibly close call as he was within an hour of losing his life.

"We do not know how long he was out of doors, but with the body temperature he was recorded to have, he was very lucky to survive.

"The lady who found him and called the ambulance discovered him in the nick of time and saved his life.

"Without her he would be dead.

"We would like to remind everyone, of the dangers involved in being exposed to the elements for prolonged periods of time and remind them to take extra care.

"Particulary when people are drinking, the sub-zero temperatures we are currently experiencing are very dangerous if people should fall over or fall asleep outside when they are alone."

The man who was taken to hospital and recovered consciousness after a number of hours is expected to make a full recovery.