A BUILDER died of alcohol poisoning after binge drinking with friends, an inquest heard.

Andrejs Kurakins had been drinking vodka and beer with colleagues outside a home in Blackburn earlier this year, an inquest in Preston heard.

The 41-year-old, who had been living and working in a house near Brownhill Drive for several months, drank several beers and half a bottle of vodka straight from the bottle on January 31.

He was found later that day slumped in a chair next to the kitchen sink in the house on Highbank.

The level of alcohol in his system was almost five times the drink-drive limit, the inquest heard.

Before moving to the Blackburn property, the Latvian-born builder had been in the UK for three years, working and living with his brother in Preston.

The inquest heard Mr Kurakins moved to Blackburn in June 2017 to do some building work on a property on Highbank.

Mr Kurakins stayed at the property which was being renovated, acting as a guardian for valuable tools located there.

On the day of his death the Latvian builder and his colleagues spent the day drinking outside the house instead of working.

The builders bought drink on several occasions throughout the day from a shop nearby.

When Mr Kurakins' colleagues left his home at around 4.30pm, the 41-year-old was thought to be 'intoxicated but stable'.

Later that day Voldermars Jigersons, one of Mr Kurakins' friends, tried to contact the builder but he did not receive a response.

Mr Jigersons visited Mr Kurakins' home and found the front door unlocked and his friend slumped on a chair in the kitchen.

Police were called and the inquest heard it was likely Mr Kurakins had died in the chair.

There was no evidence of third party involvement, the inquest also heard.

The medical cause of death was determined as alcohol toxicity by pathologist Dr Deepa Jacob.

Coroner Richard Taylor recorded a verdict of drink-related death and said: "He had been drinking alcohol with some work colleagues on January 31 before he was left on his own at the house.

"Someone tried to contact him later and went to the house. They found the door unlocked and Mr Kurakins sitting in a chair in the kitchen next to the sink slumped and clearly passed away."