AN alcoholic who said he started drinking aged seven died after his addiction led to him consuming 65 times the recommended maximum weekly amount.

Carl Andrew Wainwright was found dead surrounded by empty vodka bottles at his flat in North Lonsdale Road in Ulverston by friend Robert Sewell on March 16 of last year.

An inquest at Barrow Town Hall yesterday heard he was born in Blackburn but was taken into care and adopted by Sheila Crossley from Ulverston at the age of six weeks.

Mrs Crossley, of Cherry Tree Avenue, handed over a letter during the inquest which had been sent to her by Ulverston Victoria High School when Mr Wainwright was 12.

Mr Wainwright had been found to be intoxicated and he admitted drinking gin and rum before school.

Mr Wainwright's medical records revealed he had told health professionals he had made some "distressing discoveries about his biological family".

A statement from Mr Sewell described how he had been concerned about his friend's health in the weeks prior to his death.

"He had been vomiting blood in the last three weeks," Mr Sewell said.

Medical records revealed Mr Wainwright had been diagnosed with alcoholic gastritis where parts of the stomach are eroded by excessive alcohol consumption.

He had claimed he started drinking aged seven, began smoking cannabis aged nine and in 2010 said he would drink 400 units of alcohol a week. The recommended limit for men is 14 units.

In the week before he died he said he had drunk 19 litres of vodka, eight litres of wine and six litres of cider; around 900 units of alcohol.

A toxicology report and evidence from the pathologist revealed Mr Wainwright had died as a result of aspirational pneumonia.

This was caused by a bleed in his stomach, as a result of his alcoholism, which led to him choking on his own vomit.

Coroner Paul O'Donnell concluded Mr Wainwright's death was alcohol-related.