A PENSIONER found dead on his sofa after a house fire had fallen asleep with a lit cigarette in his hand, an inquest heard.

The body of 81-year-old Alfred Atkinson, a known recluse, was identified by his younger sister via a phone call from the US after his identity could not be found through medical and dental records.

Neighbours had raised the alarm after seeing smoke coming from his ground-floor flat, in Dales Park Road, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, on the morning of August 13.

Jane Herron told the inquest she saw the blackened window of Mr Atkinson's flat.

Her husband, Rodney, climbed through a window to try to find the retired steelworker. But he was beaten back by smoke billowing out from the living room.

Officers from Cleveland Fire Brigade discovered Mr Atkinson lying on the sofa. He was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

Fire investigation officer George Crooks, of Cleveland Fire Brigade, said Mr Atkinson was a heavy smoker who was known to have started fires on previous occasions in his flat from being careless with lit cigarettes.

Mr Crooks said the most likely scenario was that the pensioner had fallen asleep after taking his medication, dropped his cigarette between the sofa, which caused a smouldering fire with the smoke sending him into a deeper sleep.

Pathologist Dr James Sunter said the cause of death was smoke inhalation. A verdict of accidental death was recorded.