A CONCERNED father who took a sledgehammer to break down the door of his son's home in Bury found him dead in bed, an inquest heard.

Bury District Coroner Mr Barrie Williams was told that 41-year-old Timothy John Entwistle, a former builder's labourer, of Chester Street, had a history of alcohol dependency.

Although the amount of alcohol in his system was moderate, the coroner agreed with the pathologist carrying out the post-mortem that the only explanation for Mr Entwistle's death was alcohol poisoning.

Mr Williams recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Mr Bernard Entwistle, of Sales Lane, Walmersley, said his son, who was born and educated in Bury, had lived on his own for the past ten years, and had developed drink-related problems. He had attended hospitals and clinics and had for periods broken the habit. But he returned to alcohol because he had found the severe side-effects of withdrawal very difficult to cope with.

Coroner's officer Mr Geoff Cave said police had investigated the incident in Cotober this year, and there was no question of foul play or third-party involvement.

Relatives had remarked that although Mr Entwistle was strong and otherwise healthy, drink had made him ill and they had believed he may have had epileptic fits.

Mr Williams, however, said there was no evidence of epilepsy and it may well have been mistaken for the "shakes", when Mr Entwistle was trying to withdraw for alcohol dependency.

"Mr Entwistle had been alcohol dependent for a long time and kept topping it up although he had made attempts to give it up," said the coroner.

"He had no pre-existing disease and the concentration of alcohol found in his system was lower than that expected to be toxic.

"But I believe death resulted from a lifestyle which created a weakness in his system."