Police carry out welfare check at Stoke-on-Trent house and find man dead inside

Police officers carrying out a welfare check discovered the body of a 41-year-old man.

They found Matthew Booth after being called to a property on Oak Place, in Meir.

An inquest has now been opened and adjourned into Matthew's death.

North Staffordshire assistant coroner Sarah Murphy said: "Police attended the property for a welfare check. They found the patient unresponsive. Paramedics attended and confirmed death.

"A cause of death has been given as combined drug toxicity.

"There is therefore reason to suspect the death was unnatural and an inquest will be necessary. An inquest date will be set administratively and the body has been released for funeral purposes."

Paramedics were called to the property on the afternoon of March 19.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We were called by police to reports of a man in cardiac arrest.

"Two ambulances and a paramedic officer were dispatched. However, when the first crew arrived, it was immediately obvious that nothing could be done and the second ambulance and officer were stood down.

"The crew confirmed the patient had passed away."