A 61-year-old man choked to death on a roast dinner, an inquest has been told.

William Churcher, a patient at Kitnocks House Nursing Home, in Wickham Road, choked on a piece of meat, despite being warned not to eat solid foods because of his Huntingdon's disease.

A post-mortem examination carried out by pathologist Dr Raid Al-Talib found that a piece of meat 7cm by 2cm was lodged in Mr Churcher's trachea.

Dr Al-Talib told an inquest in Winchester that Mr Churcher, who had suffered with an inability to control his muscles since 1990, had died from choking and his Huntingdon's disease. Deputy coroner Simon Burge heard how Mr Churcher, from Curdridge, came to Kitnocks House in 2001 and settled in well, but he became agitated and started to refuse pureed food in the summer of 2003.

After consulting with staff, Mr Churcher returned to a normal diet in October 2003 but was warned of the risk of choking due to the disease.

The court heard how Mr Churcher's weight improved after the change of diet.

Clinical nurse Robert Milligan was working at the home on Sunday March 7 when he was called to the foyer outside the dining room where Mr Churcher was choking.

Mr Milligan said that despite rescue attempts, he was unable to remove the food from Mr Churcher's throat.

He said Mr Churcher had refused to eat pureed food and had been lunching on roast pork, roast potatoes, cabbage and gravy.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, deputy coroner Mr Burge said that staff at the nursing home had behaved appropriately in granting Mr Churcher a return to a normal diet but warning him of the dangers.

There were no suspicious circumstances, he added.