A 32-YEAR-OLD Rishton man died at home as a direct result of taking cocaine, an inquest heard.

And a coroner has warned that drug users are effectively engaging in a game of Russian Roulette.

"They simply do not know precisely what they are taking or what the potential hazards are," said Michael Singleton who recorded a verdict of misadventure on Martin Norman Jeffrey.

The inquest heard that the car technician, of Blackburn Road, had a history of using cocaine but his wife Rebecca said he had sought help.

She told how she went to work on October 8 and met her husband at about 3.15pm. When they parted he said he was going to watch football.

She went out with a friend that evening but was unable to raise her husband on his mobile. He was not in when she got home and again did not answer his phone.

At 8.30am the following day she heard a noise downstairs and went down to find her husband in "something of a state."

"He was wet and dirty and he said he had crashed his car," said Mrs Jeffrey. "He was shaken up.

"He said he had taken some cocaine and I asked if he wanted to go to hospital.

"He said he just felt tired.

"He then made a gurgling noise and it appeared there was something seriously wrong with him."

Martin's brother, Aaron, said he had seen him the night before at about 8.10pm. Martin had been to see him and he appeared to have blood at the corners of his mouth.

"He was peculiar," said Aaron. "I think he might have been under the influence of cocaine."

A post-mortem examination showed massive bleeding in the lungs and heart injury which pathologist Dr Joanne Wilkinson said were a direct result of cocaine toxicity.

She said toxicological tests had revealed the presence of cocaine and lignacaine, a commonly-used cutting agent.

Mr Singleton said Martin had paid the ultimate price for dabbling with drugs. He said: "My great fear is there are people out there who will go on taking cocaine believing that only good can come of it.

"I see before me people who are grieving because they know differently. "I just hope that out of this tragedy somebody thinks twice in order to prevent other people sitting in front of me in similar circumstances.

"Here was a young man with everything to live for who has forfeited his life not through stupidity but through ignorance of what might happen."