A 42-year-old man died in Wells after overdosing on morphine and ecstasy during the coronavirus lockdown, an inquest has heard.

The inquest into the death of Richard Maye, of Southover, was concluded today (June 24) by the senior Somerset coroner Tony Williams.

The inquest heard that Mr Maye had been found dead in his home on April 4, but had a history of alcohol and drug dependence.

Mr Maye had, in the last year or so, been trying to turn his life around and had become fond of gardening, including helping out in the old herb garden at Glastonbury Abbey, where he had gained a good reputation for his gardening skills.

He had lived at his Aster housing association home in Wells for four years, and had become frustrated at the lack of a garden, as gardening helped him overcome his alcohol and drugs issues.

However, in the summer of 2019, Mr Maye had been told that the housing association property where he lived and those around him were going to be sold off, and by the time of his death most of the other residents had moved out, leaving him without many neighbours for a couple of months.

He was told that he was going to be rehoused in a bungalow with a garden which his mother, Christine Roberts, said he was incredibly excited about as he could pursue his love of gardening.

Sadly, the lockdown then was enforced and Mr Maye was told that the move was to be put on hold until restrictions were lifted.

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He was found dead in his bed on April 4, but the police confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

A post mortem carried out by Dr Meehan of Bath Royal United Hospital said Mr Maye's body contained toxic levels of morphine and MDMA, which is also known as ecstasy, plus an amount of cocaine.

Mr Williams concluded the inquest by registering Mr Maye's death as drugs-related, though there was no evidence to suggest that he was planning to take his own life, with the cause of death being morphine and MDMA toxicity.