A man who was left with a severe brain injury 11 years ago was killed when coronavirus took hold of the care home where he lived, a coroner heard this week.

Originally from Georgia, USA, Mitchell Tregoning was kept alive for 11 years before the killer pandemic struck the UK, the inquest heard on Monday.

In February 2009, just months before his 21st birthday, Mitchell overdosed on a combination of drugs and alcohol leaving him with a severe brain injury.

In a report at the time, Dr Derek Wade said: “Prior to this incident, he was fit and well. He was living at home with his mother and was unemployed at the time with a particular interest in motorcycles, cars and football.

"He was unconscious having taken drugs and alcohol. An ambulance rushed him to Wexham Park Hospital, where he stayed until August 2009.”

Following his survival, Mitchell was left in a vegetative state being cared for in Chalfont Lodge Nursing Home in Chalfont St Peter, for over 10 years.

A statement from Dr Wade who reviewed Mitchell many times over the years, stated that the teenager overcame many trials and tribulations, becoming stronger and more stable as he grew older.

The coroner heard that at the age of 32, Mitchell was rushed to Wexham Park Hospital having contracted Covid-19 in his care home, alongside a handful of others.

After a week in hospital, Mitchell was taken to the palliative care team where he peacefully passed away on May 8 this year at 7.50am after a short fight with the illness.

Coming to a narrative conclusion, assistant Berkshire Coroner Ian Wade said on Monday: “Mitchell was looked after clearly extremely well, managing to maintain a difficult but real human existence for 11 years following the overdose of drugs and alcohol which he appeared to have ingested in February 2009.

“It is undoubtedly a very sad and tragic case where a young man aged in his 20s deliberately harmed himself. He survived that and although he did not die from that self-harm, it seems to me to have made him exceptionally vulnerable.

“That vulnerability persisted when he suffered a number of illnesses all of which he survived which is testament to the care and treatment he received until he appears to have developed Covid-19.

“Coronavirus has a terrible impact, it is not simply a respiratory illness but it is a deep damaging disease which affects all parts of the body. Mitchell was ill-equipped to battle it.

“It is remarkable that he lived with his disability for so many years. I send my sympathy and condolences to his family.”