A FATHER-OF-TWO with a history of mental health problems and drug and alcohol misuse died while staying at his mother's house after a fire at his home, an inquest heard.

Christopher James Thompson, 28, his partner Isabelle O'Shaugnessy and their children were staying with Anne Marie Anderson at Holden Road, Workington, following a fire at their home in Millom.

He was found slumped in bed by Mrs O'Shaugnessy on the morning of August 15, 2015. She called an ambulance but paramedics pronounced him dead.

Mrs O'Shaugnessy told an inquest in Cockermouth on Wednesday: “At night we knew he had taken diazepam. He was a wreck. He also took spice.”

PC Malcolm McFall, who attended, said Mr Thompson had taken tablets and liquid morphine.

Weeks before his death Mr Thompson had seen a mental health team, after being referred by his GP, and been offered support.

He had a long history of mental health problems, going back to his childhood in Barrow.

In a statement, Mrs Anderson said she had sought help for his mental health after bullying in his early school years had led him to try to self harm.

She added: "This caused me great concern. I sought help but none was obtained."

He left Walney School with no qualifications and got a job as a window cleaner at 16.

Mr Anderson said: "I don't know when he started taking drugs, it must have been at school.

"He struggled with day-to-day life and received anti-depressants and sleeping tablets when he was at school.

“He started getting into trouble as a teenager. I suspect he was stealing to keep up with the drugs.”

Mrs O'Shaugnessy said: "He had been on drugs and alcohol the whole seven years I was with him. He was up and down, never really in a stable place."

A post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death was drug intoxication.

Coroner Kally Cheema said: "I conclude this was a drug-related death. I'm satisfied it was drug overuse, not a drug overdose."