A Horwich man who was found dead near the M61 in January died from a ‘chemical perfect storm’ of drugs, an inquest has heard.

Stephen Leyland died aged 47 in the late hours of January 7, after walking two miles from the address of his former partner.

Bolton Coroners’ Court heard that Stephen’s body had been discovered by an HGV driver in the morning of January 8, but – despite efforts to carry out CPR – he was unable to be saved.

Coroner Timothy Brennand said he wanted to commend fellow HGV driver James Ruaux for his ‘fortitude’ in acting on instructions to carry out CPR.

Pathologist Dr Charles Wilson gave evidence that Stephen had undiagnosed ischemic heart disease, with up to 70 per cent narrowing of one of his three coronary arteries.

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Stephen had a combination of prescribed drugs in his body, including pregabalin and tramadol, as well as cocaine, cannabis, and bromazolam.

However, despite the pregabalin these were all at therapeutic levels or recreational levels.

Dr Wilson said: “If you add drugs together that have a depressant effect on the brain, the risk of toxicity increases, the bad effects on the brain are effectively additive.”

Despite being out on a cold January night, the court heard that Stephen had gone out in just a polo shirt before walking two miles.

Dr Wilson added: “It’s quite possible someone wearing only a polo shirt in winter could become dangerously hypothermic.”

An inquest took place at Bolton Coroner's CourtAn inquest took place at Bolton Coroner's Court (Image: Jack Fifield, Newsquest)

In a statement read out by the coroner, daughter Abbie Leyland described her dad as a ‘wonderful father and grandfather’.

She told the court that she had last spoken to her father on the phone at 10.20pm on the night he went missing, where he said he was walking towards Wigan Hospital.

She then went looking for him, but gave up the search after she could not find him and assumed he was somewhere safe.

GMP Detective Inspector Stuart Woodhead told the court that CCTV footage showed Stephen climbing over a fence to go for a wee following a three hour walk from the address of his former partner, before climbing an embankment towards the M61.

Afterwards, he tumbles down the hill before walking down a path. He then sits down and lay down in the spot in which he was eventually found the following day.

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DI Woodhead said: “The point when he dies – he passes away – he didn’t know it was happening.

“He sat down because he’s tired, the drugs are making him tired, and he sits down.

“He likely went to sleep, so he didn’t know it was happening.”

An official cause of death was given as multiple drug toxicity in relation to cocaine, tramadol and benzodiazapeines together with ischemic heart disease and hypothermia.

Coroner Brennand added that he was of the view that Stephen had thought he was on his way to Wigan Hospital, ruling a death by misadventure.

Addressing family concerns of foul play, the coroner said he could not say Stephen ‘knowingly took cocaine’, but that on the range of possibilities ‘it is likely he was aware’.

He added that the combination of drugs caused ‘a perfect storm’, leading to Stephen becoming disoriented and believing he was on his way to Wigan Hospital.

If you have a story, I cover the whole borough of Bolton. Please get in touch at jack.fifield@newsquest.co.uk.