A HOMELESS West Somerset man was found dead in his daughter’s car two days after being arrested for burglary.

Somerset Coroner Vanessa McKinlay said Nicholas Miall, aged 55, had a ‘long history of polysubstance abuse and multiple overdoses’.

Ms Kinlay held inquest proceedings in Taunton into Mr Miall’s death on April 4 last year.

She said: “He had intermittent engagement with substance abuse support agencies, but his drug use continued.

“Post mortem investigations showed he had died from an overdose of drugs.

“It is likely that this was a further accidental overdose.”

Mr Miall, who was known locally as ‘Peg Leg’ because he had a prosthetic leg, was arrested by police on April 2 when he was found at the scene of a burglary in Alcome Pharmacy, Minehead.

He appeared before magistrates the next day and pleaded guilty and was released on bail to appear again at a later date for sentencing.

Ms Kinlay said: “He was homeless and planned to sleep in his daughter’s car.

“On April 4, Mr Miall was found deceased in the car, in Hayfield Close, in Minehead.”

Ms McKinlay said the medical cause of Scarborough-born Mr Miall’s death was acute toxicity of morphine and methadone.

Mr Miall’s daughter Jade Mitchell raised £550 from an online appeal to help with the costs of his funeral and to put a memorial bird box somewhere ‘as he loved birds and all wildlife’.

Ms Mitchell said: “We would also love to donate money to local charities which provide help for the homeless and to soup kitchens and/or food banks.

“These were all very close to my dad’s heart and to our family, so we thought it would only be right to try and help those through his honour.

“My dad was loved by many, and had a warm heart and would, and did, help anybody he could.”