A pensioner who battled alcohol problems, depression and anxiety was found dead on his sofa by a friend a week after he was last seen, an inquest heard today.

Ross Williams, 69, was found slumped over in the lounge of his home in Louches Lane, Naphill, by his friend Alex McNab in February this year.

Mr McNab called police after visiting his friend’s home on February 9 and spotted Mr Williams, a retired tradesman, “slouched” in his chair, not responding to the banging on the door.

An inquest at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court on Monday morning heard how PC Christopher Carr from High Wycombe Police Station arrived at the scene at 5.24pm and Mr McNab had managed to get into the house through the back door.

Describing the scene, PC Carr said: “The house was dirty and not well-kept. There were empty cans of alcohol all over the house. Mr Williams’ clothes and appearance were dirty.”

Dr Savelia Sevova, who was Mr Williams’ GP at Hughenden Valley Surgery, was called to the house to identify her patient and said he had a history of depression, anxiety and alcohol problems.

He also had a number of health problems including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and asthma.

Mr Williams, who was divorced, had visited the surgery on three occasions in the year before his death for help with low mood, his alcohol consumption and smoking.

Paramedics had also been called to help him twice after falling and dislocating his shoulder while at the park and then tripping on a step and falling in his garden, leaving him unable to get up again.

Paramedics noted how there were empty bottles of wine next to him on both occasions.

Dr Sevova described how she had discussed alcohol with Mr Williams “many times”, adding: “His son was very worried and anxious for his father to get help. He was a heavy drinker and suffered with low mood. He had many falls, a lot of them related to drinking.”

A post-mortem carried by Dr Steven Corrigan found the cause of Mr Williams’ death to be unascertained, but appeared to have been as a result of natural causes.

Senior coroner for Bucks, Crispin Butler, said it was possible Mr Williams had died of heart disease coupled with alcoholic ketoacidosis, which is seen in people with a recent history of binge drinking and little or no nutritional intake, but it could not be confirmed.

Mr Butler said: “There is no evidence to suggest there was any third party involvement in Mr Williams’ death or that he took his own life. There is also no evidence of a traumatic injury or a toxic event. I am going to record a conclusion that he died of natural causes.”