THE family of a father-of-two who was found dead in his home have paid tribute to him after an inquest.

Matthew Coughlin was pronounced dead at his Whalley Banks, Blackburn, home in July after emergency services were called.

The 30-year-old, who had struggled in the past with his mental health, died as a result of alcohol and drug poisoning, an inquest at Blackburn Town Hall heard.

A toxicology report revealed Mr Coughlin had traces of a number of drugs, including the tranquiliser diazepam, in his system.

There were also high levels of alcohol in his system.

A family tribute to Mr Coughlin given after the inquest described him as a young man with a good sense of humour, who was always there to give a hand to those around him.

A family spokesman said: “Matthew was a bright, well-mannered, and intelligent man who would go out of his way to help anybody.

"We loved his tongue-in-cheek sense of humour.

“He loved his children more than we could ever understand and he was always looking forward to spending time with them.

“We all loved Matthew very dearly and he will never be far from our minds.”

The inquest heard how Mr Coughlin had experienced issues with alcohol over the years, spending periods of time engaging and then disengaging with a number of voluntary charities such as the agency which helps people with addictions, Inspire.

It also heard how Mr Coughlin may have benefited from visiting Mindsmatters, an NHS therapy service, but hadn’t been able to make contact with them before his death.

Detective Inspector Graham Hill said the police had no reason to believe there had been any foul play, although a man who had been with Mr Coughlin in his home earlier on in the day had refused to speak to them when approached.

Recording his conclusion, coroner Richard Taylor said: “It is clear that Matthew was a talented, nice young man who fell into some trouble with drink and drugs.

“I can record that he died at Whalley Banks in Blackburn in July of 2018, having ingested an excess of alcohol and drugs.”

Speaking during the inquest, his stepfather added: “Matthew was a very bright man who could be pleasant and engaging.

“It is sad that despite the attempts of many people trying to help get him back on track, and with all of the support from his family, he couldn’t be saved."