A Watford man died in hospital several days after being found unconscious in a doorway.

Michael Dean, 63, of Hagden Lane, was found asleep in the doorway of the NatWest bank in Station Road on March 21.

An inquest at Hatfield Coroner’s Court on Thursday heard that officers at the scene became concerned after finding Mr Dean was cold to the touch and unresponsive although breathing.

He was also surrounded by empty beer cans.

The officers called an ambulance but were able to rush him to hospital in a police van before paramedics arrived.

Doctors found him to be hypothermic and intubated him although when he woke he refused treatment, he died at the hospital several days later on March 24.

At the time of his admission to Watford General Hospital Mr Dean was found to have a blood alcohol reading of 213 milligrams in 100 millilitres which Hertfordshire coroner Edward Thomas said would not be a sufficient amount to cause his death.

The pathologist concluded Mr Dean’s death was the result of Ischaemic heart disease, a condition characterised by a lack of bloodflow to the heart.

Mr Thomas concluded the death had resulted from natural causes before closing the inquest.