Floral tributes to Craig Taylor left outside Canterbury's Beaney Institute earlier this year. Picture: Chris Davey

A Canterbury pavement artist and busker died after injecting heroin into his groin.

Drug addict Craig Taylor, of Tennyson Avenue, was rushed to hospital but died five days later after an artery ruptured in his leg.

An inquest at Canterbury Coroner’s Court recorded a verdict of misadventure and heard the 38-year-old had injected heroin into his left groin on August 7.

Four days later he was rushed to Canterbury hospital after the area became swollen and inflamed. He told doctors he “didn’t do it by mistake” and complained of chest pains and feeling short of breath.

He was treated with antibiotics but suffered a cardiac arrest on August 16.

Doctors tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate him for two-and-a-half hours.

A post-mortem examination revealed a femoral artery in his left leg had ruptured.

Assistant deputy coroner James Dillon agreed with the findings and ruled Mr Taylor had died as a result of injecting drugs into his groin.

Described as a “new-age traveller” and “active protester”, Mr Taylor was known in Canterbury for his drawings outside the Beaney Institute in the High Street.

Following his death, friends and family left messages and pictures of him at Weavers Bridge, chalking drawings of flowers and landscapes on to the pavement.

In July 2005 he gained publicity after climbing on the roof of Canterbury Cathedral and threatening to throw himself off.

Officers managed to talk him down and he was fined after admitting a charge of being drunk and disorderly.