A homeless man who was found dead in a sleeping bag at the entrance to Watford Market suffered heart failure, an inquest heard today.

Steven Kelly, 40, who had been homeless for a number of months had a "high level" of alcohol and some cocaine in his blood the night he died.

At 1.15am on May 11, before Mr Kelly's death, he was seen by Street Angels, who provide help to those in need in town centres at night.

Mr Kelly was sitting on the pavement outside a kebab shop near the Watford Palace Theatre with his money spread around him.

He was having difficulty getting up and had a broken arm from a fall on April 4.

The Street Angels walked him to a bus shelter so he could sit down, but decided it was too exposed and took him instead to a doorway leading into Watford Market in Charter Place .

He had his sleeping bag with him so the Street Angels helped him get inside and settled him down for the night, checking back on him every so often.

He was found the next morning by security staff from the market, who called the police and ambulance. Mr Kelly was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem found he had severe congestion of the lungs, suggesting heart failure, and a high level of alcohol in his blood. There was also evidence of cocaine use.

A report from Mr Kelly's GP Tom Robson, from the Meadowell practice, said: "Steven's life was sad, his parents separated when he was two years old and he lived with his grandmother and father.

"He was evicted at 12 and fostered but had learning difficulties and difficulty coping with life due to memory problems.

"He wanted help to stop drinking and was making efforts to cut down."

The cause of death was given as a fatal cardiac dysrhythmia due to alcohol and cocaine use.

Coroner Edward Thomas said it was the combination of alcohol and cocaine which caused a cardiac anomaly leading to Mr Kelly's death.

He recorded a verdict of misadventure, adding: "The Street Angels were very caring in the way they dealt with him that night.

"It's sad because as a young boy he didn't have the security and stability he needed and this affected him throughout his life."