by Jamie Bullen

A gardener suffered a nose bleed so severe that within hours he was dead, an inquest has heard.

Robert Ford, 47, suffered a nose bleed while walking in the town centre with his friend John Churchill.

After visiting Gravesend Medical Centre in New Swan Yard, Gravesend, the bleeding stopped. Doctors at the centre advised him to go home and put ice on his nose. But hours later, Mr Ford collapsed at home and died.

At an inquest into his death, pathologist Olaf Biedrzycki said he had never seen a case like it in the 4,000 post-mortem examinations he had carried out.

Blood had entered Mr Ford's airways, causing him to die, but Mr Biedrzycki could not explain where the blood came from.

He said: "This was certainly an odd case. We don't really know how to explain it. I've looked very hard for a source of the blood and could not find it."

Mr Biedrzycki apologised to Mr Ford's parents and brother who attended the hearing.

He said: "It's something of a mystery. I'm really sorry but I'm not entirely sure where this blood was coming from."

His father Michael Ford told the court he telephoned his son hours before his death on June 1 last year and was told to call 999 because he couldn't breathe.

He said: "We found him dead on the floor with a small pool of blood around his mouth. There were also 10p-sized spots of blood around the house.

"We rang the ambulance and paramedics who tried to revive him. He was a very well known character in Gravesend and it's a big loss for his family and friends."

Speaking after the inquest, Mr Ford senior said: "We're not looking to blame anyone, we're just mystified at our son's death.

"He was a much loved son, brother and uncle."

Coroner Roger Hatch recorded a verdict of death by natural causes.