Weak heart killed builder

A cocktail of drink and drugs contributed to the death from heart attack of a popular man from Glynde, an inquest heard this week.

Christopher 'Barney' Byrne, a general builder of Trevor Gardens, Glynde, died in Lewes on May 11 this year after returning from a Chelsea football game.

Mr Byrne had been drinking before, during and after the football match but in a statement witness and friend Wayne Davis, of Hampden Gardens, Glynde, said: 'We would go up to the football matches very regularly and we were used to drinking the amount we did. This football match was the same as any other one. We were all having a laugh.'

He added: 'At one point I did see Barney take half an 'E', but I didn't see him take anything else.'

The pathologist's toxicology report found traces of MDMA, otherwise known as Ecstasy and also traces of cocaine in Mr Byrne's blood stream.

Mr Byrne had complained of feeling ill on return to Lewes and had a glass of water in The Volunteer in Eastgate Street, but left soon after saying he wanted some air.

He collapsed outside Safeway.

Dr A Rainey, the pathologist, said the combination of drink and drugs were not what had killed Mr Byrne but contributed to a heart attack because he had a weak heart.

At an inquest in Eastbourne on Tuesday the coroner, Brendan Salsbury, said: 'After reading through the pathologist's reports I can only agree. It seems Mr Byrne suffered a coronary thrombosis leading to a heart attack.'

Verdict: death by natural causes.