A council is standing by CCTV staff who unwittingly watched a homeless alcoholic die on their screens.

Eric Hughes, 52, died on the street under the view of cameras in Ashford town centre.

His wife Virginia told an inquest action should have been taken to check his condition.

An Ashford Borough Council spokesman said: "The council fully supports the actions of its staff who like the police and other emergency services, provide 24-hour responses under extremely demanding circumstances.

"We are satisfied the monitoring centre staff on duty the night Mr Hughes died did all they reasonably could.

"Staff had no reason were believe he faced any greater risk on this particular night."

Mr Hughes, a well-know town centre character nicknamed "Eric the Viking" died in New Rents, Ashford, on the morning of November 9, 2007 from hypothermia.

An inquest jury yesterday returned a verdict of misadventure.

Monitors Gareth Recht and Shilrey Cunningham told the hearing at Dover that they regularly viewed him sleeping on the street and he appeared to be in no worse condition than usual.

Police had investigated the death but no criminal proceedings were pursued.