A Watford man with a history of alcoholism has died of natural causes a coroner ruled today.

Mr Stephen Wilde, 57, of Cross Roads House, Watford, was found dead in his bath by carers on June 11.

Coroner Graham Danbury said: “Mr Wilde was discovered fully-dressed in a slowly draining bath.

“His family have said that a fall in which he broke his hip in 2007 had left him confined to the flat, but he did have the assistance of neighbours and carers.

“Mr Wilde had stopped drinking for a period, but a few weeks prior to his death had started drinking again, at a level of half a bottle of vodka a day.”

Dr Neil Korostoff, who carried out the post mortem, identified large amounts of ethanol and the regular dosage of prescribed drug Loanzapine in Mr Wilde’s system.

The post mortem also highlighted that Mr Wilde had alcoholic liver disease and narrowing of the arteries which, although not the main causes of death, Dr Korostoff believed were contributing factors.

Coroner Graham Danbury said: “At the time of death Mr Wilde’s motor skills and awareness were likely to have been affected by the high levels of alcohol in his system.

“The post mortem has identified two other factors which could have contributed to Mr Wilde’s death.

“I am recording a verdict of death by natural causes.”