AN investigation has been launched into the mystery death of a loner who was found dead in his bath after his landlord broke down the door.

Police were today trying to piece together the final hours of Stephen John Marsh after his body was discovered at his home in Maudsley Street, Accrington, at 7.30am on Saturday.

A post mortem examination revealed he had died from drowning and although police do not believe the death to be suspicious they say he had no history of illness and his death is a mystery.

Mr Marsh, 40, was described by his landlord, who does not wish to be named, as a very quiet, insular, introvert man who liked to keep himself to himself. He was very intelligent and had 13 A-Levels and O-Levels. Formerly from Wrexham, he moved to Accrington around 10 years ago, renting various properties before settling in Maudsley Street six years ago.

Since June last year he had shared the house with his landlord.

Det Insp Neil Hunter, from Accrington CID, said: "The two men shared the same house but led totally separate lives and did not socialise together.

"His landlord has told us that he often would not know if Stephen was in the house and would generally see him when making meals in the kitchen.

"He did not spend a lot of time with him but found him very pleasant."

The landlord last saw Mr Marsh on Thursday evening. He went out on Friday night and went to bed at around midnight, but did not know if his tenant was home.

Mr Hunter said: "He got up at 6am on Saturday to use the bathroom but found the door was locked and went back to bed.

"At around 7.30am he discovered the door still locked and went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea and found water leaking through the ceiling.

"He broke down the door and found Stephen in the bath."

Paramedics pronounced Mr Marsh dead at the scene.

Now police want to build a picture of Mr Marsh's life and find out his movements in the hours before his death.

Mr Hunter said: "We know he worked at Express Gifts in Church and had left for the day at 3.30pm on Friday. His bosses have told us he was very reliable and rarely ever had a day off.

"There is no evidence to show he was ill or was on any form of medication.

"We would just like to hear from anyone who may have spent time with him or seen him after he finished work on Friday to contact us.

"It may well be that after he left Express Gifts he went to visit someone and if that is the case we would like them to get in touch."

Mr Marsh was said to be a regular at the Castle Hotel in Whalley Road, where he watched Burnley FC's home matches on TV, and is believed to have enjoyed going to watch Accrington cricket team play.

Mr Hunter said: "House to house inquiries have told us he used to watch the cricket with a couple from Accrington and had a number of acquaintances who he drank with at the Castle pub."

The landlord of the Caste Hotel said regulars were saddened to hear of Mr Marsh's death. He added: "He was a nice guy who kept himself to himself. He knew a lot of people here and never drank on his own."

Neighbours have also described him as a quiet but pleasant man.

One said: "I only really knew him to say hello to as he lead a very private life, but he was always polite when you saw him."