A QUALIFIED plasterer who died of an accidental drugs overdose knew he was wasting his life and had tried hard to beat his habit.

An inquest was told how John Riley, 38, was found slumped over a settee with a needle in his hand at the guest house annexe in Burnley.

His landlady told the hearing how Mr Riley said he had not taken any drugs for a couple of weeks before his death and had been proud of himself. Mrs Phyllis Cullinane, proprietor of the Caldervale Guest House on Holme Road, fought back tears as she told how she did not know where he got the needle from.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Acting East Lancs Coroner Richard Taylor said Mr Riley had tried very hard to stay off drugs and was on medication.

He said Mr Riley had been out, had too much to drink and because of that and the fact he had some cash he got some heroin. Mr Riley miscalculated the amount he could take and while he intended to take the drug, he would not have intended in any way what happened to him.

The inquest, at Burnley Magistrates' Court was told Mr Riley died on January 13 at the annexe on Rectory Road.

Mrs Cullinane said Mr Riley left the property in July 2000 but returned four months later because he had got in with bad company and had been taking drugs.

He settled into the annexe, was taking medication and for a couple of weeks before he died said he had not been taking drugs. He had had a drink instead.

Mrs Cullinane said on January 12 Mr Riley went out to Plumbe Street Miners' Club, returned at about 9.30pm and seemed all right. He had had a few drinks but was not 'legless' and some time later, another resident asked her to go the annexe and see Mr Riley.

Mr Riley was slumped over the settee, she could see a syringe but there did not appear to be anything in it. Mrs Cullinane added Mr Riley had recently done some work for a man and had been paid £15.

A statement from resident Mark Ingham, who found Mr Riley, said his fellow resident was a qualified plasterer and knew he was just wasting his life.

Pathologist Dr Abdul Al-Dawoud told the hearing Mr Riley had heroin above the level which could cause death in his body and there were injection sites on his hands. He had cocaine in his urine but not in his blood, which meant he must have taken it two or three days before he died and had also taken diazepan and tomazepan. The combination of heroin, tranquilisers and alcohol caused his death.