A NEIGHBOUR and the girlfriend of Stephen McMurray told how they gave him the kiss of life in a vain attempt to try to save his life.

The father-of-one had swallowed eight times the lethal dose of a prescribed drug and died at the home in Russell Street, Bacup, which he shared with girlfriend Rachel Pickles.

The 24-year-old former telephone sales operator only moved into the house eight days before his death, in the early hours of May 30.

Rachel told the inquest at the Town Hall, Rawtenstall, Stephen used heroin and spent about £5 a day on his habit.

Pathologist Dr Abdul Al-Dawoud said there was alcohol and heroin in his blood but said they had not contributed to his death, it had been caused by an overdose of a prescribed drug used to control heart problems and hypertension.

Rachel said they had been arguing the night before he died and she saw the tablets on the table.

She said: "I asked him what he thought he was doing and I tried to get them off him. He pushed me out of the way and he said he had already taken some but I didn't know whether to believe him or not."

She summoned help from her neighbour James Galbraith, who also lives on Russell Street. Mr Galbraith called for an ambulance.

Fighting back tears, Rachel said: "I had his head on my knee and he kept going into fits.

"Mr Galbraith had to give him mouth to mouth to resuscitate him. I tried it but I wasn't getting anywhere."

Mr Galbraith said he dialled 999 three times.

Recording a verdict of misadventure, East Lancashire coroner David Smith said: "I don't think there was anything sinister in what happened."