A former merchant navy worker was found dead from hypothermia in a childhood friend’s back garden, an inquest heard.

Jamie Park, 52, was found by Joanne Hebden on February 17, 2024, outside her property on Walney, the morning after she had given him a duvet the previous evening and left him in her garden.

In a statement read to the coroner’s court in Cockermouth, Ms Hebden said Mr Park, with whom she had been ‘friends from childhood’, had arrived at her property on February 16 asking for a place to spend the evening.

She said she was staying at her mother’s that evening and did not want him in her home while she was not there.

Ms Hebden said she ‘felt bad’, as she knew he was homeless, so gave him a duvet and some food.

She returned at around 11am the following morning through her back garden, and found Mr Park unresponsive.

Ms Hebden said she called the emergency services ‘as soon as she realised he was dead’.

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) records indicate that the call was taken at 11.57am.

Mr Park’s medical records tell of several engagements with mental health services, and a long-standing battle with alcohol since 1990.

He also suffered from bouts of poor mental health and suicidal thoughts, the inquest heard.

A statement submitted to the court by Mr Park’s sister Nicola Knox told how Mr Park was a ‘happy child’ and made ‘numerous lifelong friends growing up on Barrow Island’.

She also said he ‘longed for a career at sea’ and attended Fleetwood Nautical College where he gained his seafarer’s ticket before working in various merchant navy jobs.

Ms Knox said: “He was at his happiest when he was at sea and made friends easily.”

His marriage ended when ‘alcohol was becoming an issue’, it was heard.

She said he found it ‘extremely difficult to cope’ with the death of their parents and began drinking heavily.

He eventually reached out for help from the Well Community, and gave his sister ‘positive updates on how well he was doing.

She said it was here he met his partner Cheryle Charnley, and a short time after, they both relapsed.

Ms Knox said: “It was noted at this point Jamie started using drugs”, and that he entered rehab several times.

Toxicology and postmortem reports showed a ‘significant quantity’ of alcohol in Mr Park’s system, and that examination showed conditions consistent with hypothermia.

Assistant Coroner for Cumbria, Mr Robert Cohen, concluded that Mr Park died of hypothermia and alcohol intoxication, exacerbated by ischaemic heart disease, and recorded an alcohol-related death.

Mr Cohen said: “I am a firm advocate for remembering that whatever problems somebody has, they are still an important, loved, and vital member of the community."

He said there are ‘unanswered questions’ about how Mr Park came to be in Ms Hebden’s garden.

His sister said: “He had his issues, and went on to become more reliant on alcohol. This did not make him bad person.

“We were a close family.

“I’m older than Jamie, but as we got older, the age gap seemed to narrow and we became closer.

“When mum and dad were alive, we visited each other regularly and always had lovely, memorable family times.

“Jamie loved my husband, they were like liked brothers that each other had never had, and he loved my son and daughter.”