A 53-YEAR-old Baxenden man who consumed more than half a litre of vodka a day drank himself to death, an inquest heard.

Blackburn coroner's court was told that Thomas Vernon Johnathan's liver was damaged and a post-mortem examination revealed a blood alcohol level more than six times the legal drink drive limit.

Mrs Jean Johnathan told the inquest that on February 11 she had fallen asleep on the settee at the couple's home in Collins Drive.

When she woke up she found her husband asleep on the floor. She covered him with a quilt and went to bed.

When she came downstairs the following morning he was still in the same position and it was clear that he was dead.

Mr Johnathan's GP said his patient had admitted drinking half a litre of vodka a day, but the doctor told the inquest it could have been even more.

Dr Richard Prescott, who carried out the post-mortem examination, said the level of alcohol was in the range associated with death and this had been exaggerated by the presence of prescribed medication.

He gave the cause of death as alcohol and benzodiazepam toxicity.

Recording a verdict of misadventure coroner Michael Singleton said he was satisfied that Mr Johnathan had consumed a large quantity of alcohol that had proved to be fatal.

"Clearly the capacity of his liver to deal with alcohol had been affected," he added.