A caring dad died aged 43 after struggling with drug addiction, an inquest has heard. 

John Holme, of no fixed address, had been staying at a flat on Leigh Road, Westhoughton, in May this year.

An inquest at Bolton Coroners' Court on Wednesday, October 10, heard how Mr Holme had been using the flat to take drugs, having a history of several years' drug use.

His mum Wendy Fisher said he "had the right intentions" to break his drug habit, entering rehab more than once, but could not stay clean.

She said: "He was in detox not long ago and then he came out. He was clear and then this happened."

Ms Fisher agreed that he "clearly cared for his children", making arrangements for them and "putting them before himself".

In May this year, Mr Holme used the home of an acquaintance, Danusha Gittins, to take heroin and crack cocaine.

In a statement read out in court, Ms Gittins, who had known him for eight years, detailed how he would come to her flat to take the drugs, sharing them with her.

On the morning of May 26 this year, he brought quantities of crack cocaine and heroin to the flat. They "shared (the drugs) between them" before he left at 3pm to purchase more.

After sharing the next batch of drugs, he then left at 5pm, not returning until 3am the following morning.

Ms Gittins described him as "off his face" on his return, saying that he couldn't walk or speak properly.

He fell asleep on the floor of a bedroom in the flat, with Ms Gittins lying him on his side and putting a pillow under his head and a blanket over him.

She fell asleep at around 7.30am, before waking around 12 hours later. When she woke, after smoking outside, she came back to the room to find him in the "same position she had left him before", not breathing.

Ms Gittins called paramedics, who confirmed his death at the flat.

Dr Andrew Coates, a pathologist at Royal Bolton Hospital, recorded Mr Holme's cause of death as heroin toxicity.

Concluding, Coroner Stephen Teasdale said: "On May 27 this year, he was found in a collapsed, unresponsive condition, having taken an accidental overdose of illicit drugs. 

"He had a history of illicit drug use. Paramedics attended the address on Leigh Road and confirmed his death.

"I offer my condolences for the loss of a son and loss of a brother. I accept he had the best of intentions and had to make some really difficult decisions. It is a shame."

Mr Teasdale recorded Mr Holme's death as being drug-related.