A HAMPSHIRE man died after overdosing on a variety of drugs, an inquest heard.

Grant Burns was found in his room by support workers at the Booth Centre in Southampton on July 23 last year.

The 35-year-old had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, and had been at the hostel for two years, Winchester Coroner's Court heard.

He had also been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and had a history of seizures, the court heard.

Toxicology results showed that there were a number of drugs found in Mr Burns' body, including cocaine, morphine, methadone and alprazolam, which had an affect on his central nervous system.

Dr Norman Carr of University Hospital Southampton said that both morphine and methadone cause depression of brain activity, which can stop the heart.

There was also alcohol in Mr Burns' blood, but below the drink drive limit.

Support worker Debbie Futcher, who found Mr Burns, said: "I could see instantly that he had died. He was a very troubled soul."

Dr Lars Hansen, who met with Mr Burns on a number of occasions, confirmed he had missed around half of his appointments.

"He was hearing voices that were telling him all kinds of unpleasant things. He was definitely very vulnerable. He felt that he was an outsider," he said.

"He talked a lot about the family and how important that was to him. He was very aware that he was living life on the edge."

He added that Mr Burns had been trying to lead a healthier lifestyle at the time of his death.

Central Hampshire coroner Grahame Short said he thought Mr Burns' death was as a result of mixed drug toxicity, and that it was unlikely that a seizure had contributed to his death.

"I have to conclude that however much progress he was making that he had reverted to heroin use," he said.

He recorded a drugs-related death.