A MAN found lifeless beneath stairs in Wrexham town centre died after taking heroin and another drug, an inquest heard.

The hearing at County Hall in Ruthin on Friday heard that 39-year-old Matthew John Williams had been dropped off in town by his mother on May 16 this year.

He was discovered by a member of the public just before 6pm on the same day with a syringe in his hand, surrounded by drugs paraphernalia and lager cans.

Paramedics attended the scene beneath a staircase near the Food Warehouse store at Island Green but they were unable to revive Mr Williams.

Mr Williams has been living in Rhyl with his girlfriend during the coronavirus lockdown but had returned to his mother's home in Brynffynnon Road, Brymbo, a few days earlier.

The inquest heard that first responders arrived at the metal staircase just after 6pm and carried out CPR for 20 minutes before confirming Mr Williams' death at 6.30pm.

They noted cans and syringes at the scene as well as traces of blood on Mr Williams upper leg that suggested an entry point for the heroin.

A post mortem found traces of morphine at a potentially fatal level in Mr Williams body, along with other substances that indicated "street heroin" had been taken.

There were also levels of a drug called flubromazolam, a relatively new and potent version of benzodiazepine which has been linked with other deaths eleswhere in the country, also at a level that could prove fatal.

Therefore the cause of death was recorded as combined morphine and flubromazolam toxicity.

Coroner for North Wales East and Central John Gittins recorded a conclusion of a drug-related death.