A NELSON man died after falling into a canal and knocking himself out following a drinking binge.

Eastern European Arpad Bilko fell off the wall on which he was sitting, overlooking the canal in Nelson, to the side of the Morrisons supermarket.

His housemate from Napier Street, who also worked with him, raised the alarm on September 10 when Mr Bilko, 42, failed to return home.

Officers scoured CCTV footage and saw Mr Bilko walking along the side of the canal next to Morrsions.

DS Anthony Atkins said: “Following that lead, officers were dispatched there and could see a body in the canal.

“There were no obvious signs of violence.

“From our enquiries, we understood Mr Bilko liked a drink. The area where he had been drinking had a worn path through the bushes with a number of cans and bottles around. It is a regular drinking spot as it is well out of the way.

“It was reported to us that Mr Bilko had fallen in the canal before but had managed to drag himself out.”

It is believed Mr Bilko banged his head as he fell into the shallow water, either on a concrete ledge or some debris in the water, such as a shopping trolley.

Dr Abdul Al-Dawoud, consultant pathologist at Burnley General Hospital, said Mr Bilko had been in the water for at least 12 hours when he was found.

He said: “Mr Bilko had a head injury which was quite substantial and the amount of alcohol in his system was also high, three-and-a-half times the legal driving limit.”

East Lancashire coroner Richard Taylor recorded a verd-ict of accidental death.