A DISTRAUGHT mum today told of her shock after her son was found dead outside his friend's flat.

Police have said they are looking into the death of Gordon Page, who was discovered in Hawthorne Avenue, Darwen, at about 9.30am on Saturday.

The 37-year-old was seen lying outside the address by a neighbour who lived in the flat above.

His mother Susan Hamilton, of Rhyl, North Wales, said: "I am in limbo. I can't believe he has died.

"We are all very upset. My two other sons drove from Nelson and Oxford to tell me in person. We are all in shock."

The dead man was with pals at 11.30pm on Friday before heading to Hawthorn Avenue to visit another friend, who was not home at the time, police said.

It is thought he may have laid collapsed outside the home all night before he was found.

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and a post mortem examination was to be carried out today.

Mr Page, of no fixed address, stayed with friends across Darwen, including at the flat near to where he was discovered. He was known to be a heavy drinker and also suffered from epilepsy, police added.

But Detective Seargant Mark Rothwell, of Darwen CID, said it would be speculation to connect either factors to his death at this stage. It is believed Mr Page died between 11.30pm and 9am. It is not clear whether he got into the ground floor flat.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "It was like a crime scene on Saturday morning. The whole area was taped off.

"I was on the street on my way home from work as a bouncer at 3am. Police wanted to speak to me to see if I had seen him. I hadn't.

"None of us on the street really knew him well. He just used to stay here fairly often."

They added: "It's very sad. I can't believe he could have been there for hours. Its a shame no one was around earlier, we might have been able to help."