A drug habit that divorcee Alexander Beveridge once told friends had saved him from alcohol finally contributed to his death, an inquest heard today.

The 54-year-old, of Otley Road, Bradford, was on methadone and anti-depressants and sporadically took crack-cocaine, the hearing in Bradford was told.

Mr Beveridge, who had a history of self-harming, was last seen by flatmates who believed he had just taken some crack before leaving his home in Russet House and collapsing outside, struggling for breath.

In a statement, a friend, Trevor Sheard, told how Mr Beveridge usually took crack cocaine alone in his bedroom and that he had once claimed the drug had saved him from alcohol.

Paramedics were called on August 30 last year after he wa spotted in trouble but he later died at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

A post mortem confirmed Mr Beveridge had used cocaine shortly before his death and that methadone was also found in his system as was an overdose of an anti-depressant drug he had been taking, there was also evidence of self-harm and intravenous drug use.

Coroner Roger Whittaker said Mr Beveridge's past substance abuse had been a contributory factor to the pulmonary oedema that killed him.

He recorded a verdict that the deceased had died as a result of drug abuse.