A NARBERTH barman, who choked on his own vomit after a night out, was found dead at the foot of his stairs the next morning by his flatmate.

Alan Mark Potter, aged 31, of Flat 1, 46 High Street, who died at home on May 23, had a history of heavy drinking, and had drunk vodka at a level nearly four times the drink-drive limit.

At Thurday’s August 30 inquest, Coroner’s Officer for Dyfed-Powys Police Jeremy Davies said Oxford-born Mr Potter shared a flat with a Mario Edwards, having moved to Narberth several years earlier when his sister, Louise, ran the nearby Dragon public house.

Louise had employed Mr Potter as a barman, later giving up management of the pub in 2016.

Mr Potter, who had lived at the pub, stayed on working for new landlord Tom Hunt, moving in to Flat 1 with Mr Edwards.

The inquest heard Mr Potter had a medical history of mytotonic dystrophy, a long-term genetic disorder affecting muscle function.

On the evening of May 22, at 8pm, Mr Potter was drinking vodka and orange in the Ivy Bush pub on High Street.

He was described as “his usual happy self,” chatting and dancing with people.

By 11pm the barmaid would not serve him any more; Mr Potter making his way to his own pub lower down High Street.

He was served one vodka and orange; further drinks being substituted with pure orange.

Shortly after midnight Mr Potter was slumped in a chair at the pub, and was walked home by the landlord and friend Charley Pace.

Mr Potter was helped inside by Mr Pace and Mr Hunt, closing the door behind him, the last time he was seen alive, the inquest heard.

At 8.30 the next morning, Mario Edwards found Mr Potter at the bottom of the stairs face-down.

After checking for a pulse, emergency services were called; Mr Potter was declared have passed away at 9am that morning.

A post-mortem report by Dr Petya Nadiva found 316 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the legal limit being 80, a level which could cause a social drinker to become unconscious.

The cause of death was given as a combination of aspiration of vomit and alcohol intoxication.

Reaching a conclusion of an alcohol-related death, HM Coroner for Pembrokeshire Mark Layton said: “Mr Potter has consumed a very large quantity of vodka, and was unable to get home unaided, his friends bringing him home.

“On being taken home he has aspirated on his vomit, leading to his death.”