A DRUG addict living rough in a former pit village died of a heroin overdose, an inquest heard.

Jeffrey Everett, 31, was found dead at West Street, Grange Villa, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, last July.

His grandmother, Margaret Everett, of West Pelton, told North Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle that Mr Everett came off drugs for a time, but returned to heroin.

She said he took heroin regularly and drank heavily.

PC Christopher Long said he was called to a makeshift den, where Mr Everett lived, by a friend who found his body.

A toxicology report showed that Mr Everett had taken a lot of heroin and alcohol and that his body had "shut down".

A verdict of death by dependent drug use was recorded