A man who suffered from severe back pain as well as heart and lung problems died after overdosing on medication, a coroner ruled today.

Stephen Pennington, 53, was discovered dead at his High Wycombe home by his close friend and neighbour, Teresa Callan, on October 18 last year.

A toxicology report revealed the 53-year-old had toxic levels of prescribed antidepressant Amitriptyline – which he took to help him sleep - and painkiller Oxycodone in his system.

In a statement read out at Beaconsfield Coroner’s Court Ms Callan said she last saw Mr Pennington the previous day when he asked her to check his head for an injury after he had bumped it.

Ms Callan then returned to check on Mr Pennington the following day and assumed he was asleep when she saw him slumped over in his chair.

She became concerned when she checked on him again just after 12pm and discovered he was unresponsive.

Panicked, Ms Callan called on the help of her neighbour who dialled 999, and the pair performed CPR on Mr Pennington while they waited for the paramedics to arrive.

Paramedics declared Mr Pennington as dead at 12.59pm.

Mr Pennington’s GP, Duncan Graham, told the inquest his patient had tried “safer” alternative to the “old fashioned” antidepressant Amitriptyline, which can have toxic side effects, however Mr Pennington said it was unsuccessful.

Dr Graham added that when he last saw Mr Pennington in September last year he did not seem as “sharp” as usual however he had given no indication that he wanted to harm himself.

Senior coroner for Buckinghamshire, Crispin Butler, concluded Mr Pennington had died as a result of an Oxycodone and Amitriptyline overdose, and recorded the cause of death as drug related.