THE body of a heroin user lay undiscovered for up to two weeks at his Alcombe flat before a friend made the grim discovery, an inquest was told last Thursday.

Peter Clinkscales, 39, of Bircham Road, was found on the floor on April 1, although a neighbour had noticed a smell for almost a week beforehand.

Due to the length of time he had been dead, pathologists were unable to confirm whether a high level of paracetamol in his liver was the cause and could not rule out that heroin had been involved.

Police, who used torchlight to examine the body in the darkened flat at 8.30pm on April 1, recognised Mr Clinkscales, who usually tied his long fair hair in a ponytail and wore black leather trousers.

They found blood on his head and ear and a large pool around his feet.

Examinations found a wound to Mr Clinkscales' scalp and blood on the corner of the kitchen table. A blood-stained knife was discovered under a coat.

Mr Clinkscales was found dead by friend Lisa Paisley, who had met him when they were both living at a guest house in Minehead after his release from prison. He was unemployed and separated from his wife and young daughter.

At the inquest, Miss Paisley described Mr Clinkscales as a "very heavy drinker" and said he would consume cider most nights.

She said Mr Clinkscales had moved out of the guest house and into a flat owing her £80.

The last time she had seen him alive was when she bumped into him outside an off licence in the town. He was banned from the shop so he asked her to buy cider for him but she refused.

Mr Clinkscales told her: "It's nice to know who your friends are."

The inquest heard that on March 29 Miss Paisley went to Mr Clinkscales' flat but got no reply. She returned on April 1 and found the door on the latch. She could see a bowl, spoon and fork and a body on the floor so she called the police.

Miss Paisley said Mr Clinkscales had told her he was once addicted to heroin and she would sometimes see him with tablets.

When they were living at the guest house, Mr Clinkscales had told her he wanted to die and he knew he was going to die.

The police did not find any evidence of a struggle but said Mr Clinkscales had a history of self-harm and drug and alcohol abuse.

Pathologists found 560mg of paracetamol in his system, but the state of the body made it impossible to ascertain if heroin was also to blame for his death.

Coroner Michael Rose recorded an open verdict and said: "This is a tragic case and a sad reflection of the times that we live."