A BURNLEY man's decomposing body was discovered after a barman realised he had not sold him a drink for days, an inquest heard.

George Baldwin, 70, may have lain dead for up to three weeks by the time the alarm was raised, making it impossible to find a cause of death, the inquest was told.

The retired maintenance worker had been diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease and his squalid flat was littered with 20 bags of empty booze bottles, Westminster Coroner's Court heard.

Divorced Mr Baldwin, originally from Burnley, lived alone in Bowman's Building, Penfold Street, Paddington, and drank at his local pub the Green Man.

Coroner's officer Joanna Nicol told the inquest how on October 20, the property caretaker Kevin Ferguson went to check on him after being contacted by staff at the pub.

"The local barman became concerned as he'd not seen Mr Baldwin for a few days," said Ms Nicol.

"The caretaker gained entry to the flat and found him on a chair in the lounge.

"A considerable amount of alcohol was found in the property."

The only indicator of the last time he was alive was an open newspaper from October 1, the inquest was told.

Westminster coroner Dr Paul Knapman said: "The state of his body was such that the pathologist could not ascertain a cause of death.

"The likelihood is he has died from too much drink or natural causes. There are no suspicious circumstances.

"He was apparently a private man with a history of alcoholism. He was living in very poor circumstances - it was not a pleasant sight."

He recorded an open verdict.