A drug addict's life ended in public toilets where he had previously been found unconscious from overdoses, an inquest has been told.

The body of Mark Cave was found slumped and unresponsive in a cubicle in Cavendish Street, Ramsgate, by a cleaner.

He called police and an ambulance, but firefighters were also needed to rip the door off its hinges so paramedics could reach him to administer treatment. But it was too late and he was already dead.

The inquest in Canterbury yesterday heard the 52-year-old car body sprayer, of Donnahay Road, Ramsgate, had drug and health problems for many years.

A police officer who attended the scene recognised Mr Cave because he had previously been called to the same toilets last year when Mr Cave had been found unconscious and needing hospital treatment.

But on this occasion, he had taken a potentially fatal level of heroin, together with cocaine and Tramadol. He had also consumed the equivalent of three times the alcohol limit for a driver.

In the cubicle were found needles and Mr Cave had injection marks in his groin.

A pathologist told assistant coroner James Dillon that death was due to multi-drug toxicity, but that Mr Cave also had pulmonary tuberculosis which could have contributed to it.

It happened in the afternoon of January 26 and a police investigation concluded there had been no third party involvement.

His brother, Paul gave a statement to the coroner which said his sibling had "a difficult lifestyle".

He said the pair had met for breakfast in Wetherspoons earlier that day.

"He seemed in good spirits and had an English breakfast and a beer but I thought he looked bloated," he said

"We said our goodbyes and he went off to sort out a problem with his mobile phone. That was my last contact with him."

Mr Dillon's conclusion was that Mr Cave's death was drug related.