A dad sent home from hospital with painkillers for back pain was found dead in bed the next day, an inquest in Bradford has heard.

Geoffrey Bates, who was 38 and lived at Apperley Road in Apperley Bridge with his partner and children, had woken in the early hours of February 8 this year with a severe pain in his back.

It got so bad he went to Bradford Royal Infirmary and returned home later that day indicating to his partner he had been prescribed painkillers.

Singapore-born Mr Bates went to work but later in the day contacted his mother asking for more painkillers and went to her house to get more medication, the inquest heard. He got home at about 6pm and told his partner he was OK and had gone to bed that night.

But the next morning, on February 9, she found him unresponsive and paramedics called to the house confirmed he had died.

A post mortem has been carried out and the results are awaited.

Yesterday’s inquest has been adjourned for no longer than six months and Mr Bates’ body has now been formally released to his family for cremation.