A MAN whose body was found on the side of the A350 near Kington Langley drank three litres of 7.5 per cent cider everyday before vanishing from his friends caravan where he was staying, a coroners court heard.

The body of 44-year-old Polish national Jackek Nowicki was discovered by a member of the public in the verge of the A350 southbound near Kington Langley on October 23 2017.

A post mortem report heard at Salisbury Coroners Court today (April 25) showed excessively high levels of alcohol in his blood, as well as inflammation on the lungs known as Bronchopneumonia, which friends said caused him chest trouble.

In police statements friends of Mr Nowicki to have had prolonged chest troubles.

The inquest heard how after sleeping rough in Bath, Mr Nowicki’s friend, Roma Kilmek, had let him move into his caravan in Chippenham after helping him to secure a job where he worked at West Willow Tree Services.

After their first days work the pair came back to the caravan and spent the evening drinking vodka before going to bed at about 11pm.

Mr Kilmek awoke the next morning and discovered Mr Nowicki had gone without any of his possessions.

The court was read parts of Mr Kilmek’s police statement where he said Mr Nowicki had not taken his belongings or his sleeping bag, just a small amount of money and some taboaco.

Mr Kilmek said: “I didnt understand, if there was something wrong I am sure he would have confided in me.”

The court heard how the body was found by local resident Zac Taylor on October 22 as he was walking along the A350 to go to Morrisons.

In his police statement he said: “I was mid way to Morrisons when I saw a man laying in the verge. His knees were bent and he had his hands on his stomach, I thought he was just drunk and having a lay down.

“The next day I did the same walk and he was still there in the same position. I shouted hello but he didn’t answer. It was clear he was dead.”

Recording a narrative conclusion, assistant coroner Ian Singleton said: “This was a natural death caused by the combination of being exposed the cold without shelter and the high levels of alcohol, causing an inbalanced metabolic state known as ketoacidosis, as well as the Bronchopneumonia.”