A man who was found dead on his sofa next to a can of nitrous oxide was deemed to have died from a mixture of prescription and recreational drugs.

Hertfordshire County Council’s assistant coroner Frances Cranfield concluded that Kevin Maj, from South Oxhey, died aged 32 from a “drug related death”.

He was discovered on 29 September 2017 by his father, Ray, who had become increasingly concerned for his son’s welfare.

The coroner’s court heard how Mr Maj was lying on his sofa next to a can of nitrous oxide, more commonly known as laughing gas.

Addressing his family, Dr Cranfield said: “This must have been incredibly difficult for you, especially in the circumstances of finding Kevin.”

According to his toxicology report, there were high levels of prescription drugs, as well as evidence of cocaine and cannabis, in his system.

The coroner explained that Mr Maj had a history of mental and physical health issues.

These had been compounded by a serious arm injury he suffered during a traffic accident in Thailand in 2011.

He had been admitted to A&E in June 2017 after making threats against his family and was advised to contact his GP if he felt that his health was deteriorating further.