Reclusive OAP found dead in flat 4 weeks after he was last seen

The 68-year-old was discovered only after maggots started falling into the flat below. The occupant of that flat in Hoarwithy Road, Putson, told Herefordshire Housing, which then informed the police.

PC Chris Watson found Mr Reith slumped face-first across an armchair in the lounge, his body so badly decomposed that a proper post-mortem was impossible.

A search of the flat secured a passport to prove identification.

Mr Reith, who had been an aircraft engineer, had more or less shunned the world after a car accident.

Herefordshire Housing offered the block a paid-for warden service but Mr Reith wanted nothing to do with wardens.

County coroner David Halpern asked at an inquest into Mr Reith's death why 'warning bells' were not ringing when Mr Reith seemingly shut himself away last September.

On the limited evidence available, a heart attack was the most likely cause of death. Mr Reith, the inquest heard, had a coronary condition not helped by his 20-a-day cigarette habit. He regularly went to casualty complaining of breathlessness.

Jean Cheesman said Mr Reith - her friend for 30 years - had 'totally isolated himself' since moving to Hereford and having his accident.

He did not want the warden service that went with the flat, she said.

Mr Reith often stayed with Mrs Cheesman at her home in Bredwardine.

She said she last saw him alive some three weeks before he was believed to have died.

In a statement, read to the inquest, PC Watson referred to Mr Reith not being seen for at least three to four weeks.

Mr Halpern recorded Mr Reith's death as due to natural causes. He was concerned to think that tenants like Mr Reith could go without 'some form of supervision'.

After the hearing, Martin Smith of Herefordshire Housing, said Mr Reith had 'made it clear' that he did not want warden visits. His death was discovered when a warden called on the flat downstairs.

"We can't make visits if people don't want them," said Mr Smith.