AN old gas fire bought at a car boot sale caused the death of a North-East man, an inquest heard.

The portable heater had been given to refuse collector Andrew Allan, 31, only four days before the tragedy.

He was killed by carbon monoxide poisoning because the fire was faulty and there was no ventilation in his living room, the inquest was told yesterday.

Malcolm Moore, a principal inspector with the Health and Safety Executive, (HSE) said the fire was in such a poor condition that death could have occurred within minutes.

When he tested the Ardent Arabia 3 appliance with other experts at Mr Allan's flat in Otterhill Court, Coulby Newham, near Middlesbrough, they had to get out of the room after only 60 seconds.

Mr Moore told the jury: "If we had continued under those conditions we would have been dead as well. The heater produced fatal levels of carbon monoxide very quickly due to flame flashback from a damaged seal and inadequate ventilation."

Mr Moore said that, following Mr Allan's death and two other fatalities, the HSE mounted a campaign about the dangers of portable gas heaters and the need to check them regularly.

He said: "This gas is a silent killer. You can't smell, taste or hear it. It just sends you to sleep and you die."

The inquest heard that Mr Allan was found under a duvet on the couch in his living room, where the only window was double-gazed and covered over.

Family friend Hazell Waller said that she had bought the heater at a car boot sale in Redcar and had no problems with it for two years.

Shortly after she gave it to Mr Allan, she asked him about it.

He had replied: "It's working just fine."

The jury returned a verdict of misadventure on Mr Allan, who died 18 months ago.

Coroner Michael Sheffield said: "Even if he had been awake, he would not have been aware of what was happening."