A 23-YEAR-OLD cage fighter intentionally ingested poison in the presence of his girlfriend, an inquest heard.

East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor opened the inquest into the suspected poison death of Rossendale father-of-two Christopher Forkin yesterday.

Paramedics were called to a house in Crabtree Avenue, Waterfoot, just before 1am on Saturday after they received a call saying he had had a heart attack.

Mr Forkin, of Burnley Road East, Waterfoot, died later that evening at Royal Blackburn Hospital after ‘intentionally’ ingesting strychnine hydrochloride, a lethal chemical which can be used as rat poison.

Fire crews from the hazardous materials unit in Burnley also attended the scene as a precautionary measure in case the property needed to be decontaminated.

During the inquest held in Burnley, a statement was read to East Lancashire Coroner’s Officer Bob Wilson.

“Christopher Forkin intentionally ingested hydrochloride in the presence of his girlfriend.

“A post mortem result has been carried out and further toxicological and histological tests ordered.”

Coroner Mr Taylor adjourned the proceedings to a date to be fixed for the results.

Mr Forkin was a former pupil at Fearns Community Sports College in Stacksteads.

He had recently taken up cage fighting, now known as mixed martial arts, training at Waterfoot-based Team Warriors Elite.

He was due to take part in a Bacup fight night on Saturday April 14 at Bacup Hub in Burnley Road.

The night will now be dedicated to him.

A minute’s silence is being held and a slide show of photographs of him will be shown.

Lancashire police are not treating the death as suspicious and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.