A HOMELESS man whose body was found in a derelict building in Burnley had died after taking a cocktail of drugs, an inquest was told.

Thomas Holland, 40, originally from Rossendale, was found in a downstairs room of a run-down building in Belle Vue Place, Westgate, on November 2 last year.

Burnley Coroners' Court heard he had not been seen for three days.

Home Office pathologist Dr Charles Wilson, who carried out the post mortem examination, said Mr Holland's body was face down in a doorway near the bottom of stairs.

He said it was very cold in the building and Mr Holland was dressed in many layers of clothing. There were some needle marks on his arms but not the scarring linked to a chronic drug user. There were quantities of heroin, cocaine and codeine in his blood.

Mr Wilson said he believed he had taken drugs which rendered him unconscious and while he was unconscious hypothermia set in. It is thought that Mr Holland had been living in an upstairs room.

He had been evicted from his home in June 2002 and told his ex-wife he was staying in a hostel. Acting East Lancashire coroner Richard Taylor recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said: "I think he mixed the drugs maybe intentionally, maybe not, and did not have any idea of the effect this could have. He went unconscious and fell and I believe his death was an accident."