A man found kneeling in a praying position by his bed died from a heart disease his family knew nothing about, an inquest has heard.

Robert Spink, 45, of Aireville Terrace, Burley-in-Wharfedale, was found dead in his bedroom by his father who had gone to check on him after phone calls were not returned.

Mr Spink, who lived in his flat alone, had been unemployed for ten to 15 years, the Bradford inquest was told yesterday, and he was quite a heavy smoker and quite a heavy drinker.

Days before his death on February 8 this year he had fallen and smashed a glass coffee table suffering cuts and bruises which needed hospital treatment.

He was also seen by a GP again because of his injuries, his family told the inquest he been shaken by the accident and although recovering from it had been clammy and finding it hard to breathe.

The family told assistant deputy coroner Dr Michael Bell that the GP had commented at the time that Mr Spink’s pulse was racing but no other concerns were picked up on.

A post-mortem examination found Mr Spink had a catalogue of health problems involving his diseased heart down to blood pressure, affected coronary arteries and congested lungs, liver and spleen.

No drugs were detected and at the time of his death and he had only drunk the equivalent of about half a pint of beer.

The medical cause of death was given as hypertensive heart disease and a verdict of death by natural causes was recorded.

His two sisters, brother-in-law and father who were all in the court told the inquest Mr Spink’s poor health had been “news to us”.