A 29-year-old man from Chesham died after taking a “potentially fatal” dose of heroin and alcohol, an inquest heard today.

Jethro Aukland-Taylor was found on a bench in Chesham cemetery by a member of the public as he was passing through.

The handyman, who was born in High Wycombe and lived in Chesham, was found by Simon Dunkleman at around 8.20pm as he was heading to a friend’s house after an evening at the pub with his father.

In evidence read out by coroner’s officer Geraldine Trickett, he said: “I was walking through [the cemetery]…when I saw a male slumped over the bench.

“There was a book on the floor in front of him and a can of beer on top of it.

“At first I thought he was drunk but as I got closer, I wasn’t sure. I went over to him and noticed that there was some blood on the corner of his nostril.

“I touched him on the back. I couldn’t feel any movement. He was completely unresponsive to me.”

Mr Dunkleman said he called 999 as soon as he realised Mr Aukland-Taylor was not breathing and stayed until paramedics got there, helping them with their equipment.

Another man, Michael Kamara, was also walking through the cemetery on his way home from the gym and stopped to help Mr Dunkleman.

He said: “I was walking up the hill when I saw a male on the phone looking worried. I later learnt that this was Simon.

“I went over and found out he was talking to the police.”

A toxicology report found that Mr Aukland-Taylor had 0.3 micrograms (mcg) of morphine in his blood, with a potentially fatal amount being greater than 0.15mcg, according to toxicologist Dr Andrews.

His blood alcohol level was found to be 109mg per 100ml – the UK drink drive limit is 80mg per 100ml.

Police also recovered drugs paraphernalia, including needles and a blacked spoon, from the scene.

Mr Aukland-Taylor was taken to Stoke Mandeville hospital with ongoing CPR, which sadly had to be stopped after he did not respond.

The medical cause of death was recorded as a potentially fatal ingestion of street heroin and alcohol.

Assistant coroner Alison McCormick said there was evidence of self-administered street heroin and alcohol, recording a conclusion of a drug and alcohol-related death.