POLICE launched a major investigation after a man was found dead at his home in Brierfield.

David Lee Cardwell, 30, was found in his house in Berkeley Street by police at 8pm on Sunday after neighbours raised the alarm, saying he had not been seen since midnight on Saturday.

Police forced their way into the terrace house to find Mr Cardwell's body at the bottom of the stairs, prompting them to believe the death was suspicious. The house and part of the street were sealed off and a full search was carried out by forensic teams.

But a post mortem examination on Monday morning, revealed that Mr Cardwell had died as a result of head injuries sustained in an accidental fall down stairs.

Neighbours were also quizzed to see if they had heard or seen anything in the hours between when Mr Cardwell, who lived alone, was last seen on Saturday night and the discovery of his body on Sunday.

Police are no longer treating the death as suspicious and said that Mr Cardwell's next of kin, who live in Accrington, had been informed.

Det Sgt Pete Simm, of Burnley CID, said: "The death was initially unexplained but a post mortem examination has been carried out as well as a full examination of the house and it appears that he suffered a fall of some kind during which he sustained fatal injuries."

One of Mr Cardwell's neighbours in the quiet street said : "I didn't really know him that well but I had seen him around and about a few times. The first thing I knew anything was wrong was when I saw the police on Sunday night."

Another man added: "I know there was a man living there on his own but I didn't see anything or hear anything over the weekend."