FORMER Saatchi and Saatchi advertising agency worker William Wynne probably slipped and fell and then lay dead at his home at The Mews, Down Ampney, near Cricklade, for up to two weeks until his body was found, an inquest heard.

Worried neighbours reported they had not seen the 46-year-old in the village for several days and police found his body on February 14 this year.

During the inquest at Cirencester Magistrates Court Cotswold coroner Lester Maddrell heard that a post-mortem examination carried out by Home Office pathologist Dr Andrew Davison was inconclusive because of the decomposition of the body.

Dr Davison suggested that Mr Wynne may have fallen in his house through a combination of possible factors including minor heart problems, poor knees, poor vision, alcohol consumption and the clutter within his house.

The pathologist could not discount that a blow to the head could have been delivered or that there had been a sudden irregular heart beat leading to death.

But he stressed both suggestions would be largely speculative.

A police investigation into the matter found there were no suspicious circumstances in his death and no suspicion of third party involvement.

Mr Maddrell, who delivered an open verdict said: "Mr Wynne was found dead at his home and he seemed from the evidence to be a fairly fit and active but there is some evidence that he was somewhat overweight and used to drink and smoke a lot.

"There is some evidence that his vision was not very good and there had been a history of falls in the past."