A 48-YEAR-old father died from the combined effects of alcohol and codeine.

Eugeniusz Link, of Monnow Crescent, Hereford, died on January 10 after being rushed to Hereford County Hospital three days earlier.

Daughter Olimpia Link, who lived with Mr Link, said her father had been sleeping on the sofa on January 7 in the evening. She noticed he had been drinking vodka and found pain relief tablet blister packs in the bin.

She kept an eye on him and at 10.45pm she said he stopped breathing, and she called an ambulance, while carrying out chest compressions.

The inquest at Herefordshire Coroner's Court heard Mr Link, who worked at Thomas Panels and Profiles Ltd in Leominster, suffered with an inflammatory bowel and took pain relief.

Miss Link also said he had a problem with drinking too much alcohol. She said he had threatened to harm himself on two previous occasions.

Toxicology samples were taken which showed high levels of alcohol and high levels of paracetamol and codeine.

The post mortem recorded he died from a hypoxic brain injury caused by cardiac arrest and respiratory depression, due to the combined effects of codeine and excessive alcohol.

Coroner Mark Bricknell recorded it was an alcohol and drug related death.