A father whose body was found in a stranger’s garden died after drinking a “fatal level of alcohol” an inquest has heard.

Scott Hadley, 42, was found unresponsive in the front garden of a bungalow in Wymondham on Thursday, January 30.

Police did not treat his death as suspicious after his body was found by a passer-by at around 6.50am that morning.

An inquest into his death at Norfolk Coroners’ Court in Norwich on Tuesday heard how Mr Hadley, of Beech Close, Wymondham, had a history of mental health and alcohol issues stemming from traumatic events during his childhood.

A statement read out on behalf of his partner, Rachel Hadley, said: “We met around three years ago and he moved in with me and we later had a child together. He suffered with depression for as long as I knew him.”

Mrs Hadley added that while her husband had visited his GP about his depression and troubles with alcohol, he did not seek further support beyond this.

She added: “I do not think he thought he could be given much support and I do not think he contacted anyone else.”

She said that the night before he was found dead he had some drink at home and had left their house at around 10.30pm.

A statement read on behalf of Det Sgt Peter Wilson, of Norfolk Constabulary, one of the officers who attended the scene, said that he was found in the front garden of a home with a bottle of vodka by his side. A receipt in his wallet showed that he had purchased the bottle the night before.

He added that Mr Hadley, a factory worker, had his phone and his wallet on him at the time and that examination of his phone produced no evidence that his death was suspicious.

Mr Hadley’s medical cause of death was alcohol toxicity, with an underlying cause of bronchitis.

Reaching the conclusion that Mr Hadley had died an alcohol-related death, assistant coroner Simon Milburn said: “He had a history of mental health and alcohol problems and had a potentially fatal level of alcohol in his blood.”