A Nelson man returned from a shopping trip to find a body in his living room.

Jacob Sadiq today spoke of his horror at finding drug addict burglar Jason Davies, 33, slumped on the settee of his home in Fir Street, Nelson, following a suspected drug overdose.

Mr Sadiq, 30, returned from a two-hour trip to Nelson town centre to find Davies lying in his living room surrounded by drug paraphernalia.

Just hours earlier, Davies had walked from court after Judge Beverley Lunt gave the career criminal a last chance to kick his addiction.

Mr Sadiq was questioned by detectives but quickly cleared of any involvement in Davies' death.

He said: "I was totally shocked. I was in total disbelief.

"I thought he was just lying there so I called the police ". I just closed the door straight away. It turned my stomach. I felt sick.

"He had been foaming at the mouth and the sofas were moved all over the place. He had had a good rummage around."

Following the incident, at 4.45pm on Friday, detectives launched an investigation but are not treating the death as suspicious.

Mr Sadiq, an unemployed chef, said he was having to live at his dad's house in Bracewell Street, as officers continued forensic examinations at his home.

Mr Sadiq was angry that Davies, who has almost 150 previous convictions was allowed to go free to break into his home.

He added: "It is despicable, he was just a menace to society.

"If you look at his history was his robbing spree ever going to end?

"I am an innocent victim and cannot go back into my house. I have been left in limbo.

"I do not want to go in there until it has all been decontaminated.

"I am going to have to redecorate. I can't act like nothing has happened."

Davies' relatives were yesterday due to travel from Scotland and a post mortem examination was due to take place today.

On Friday at Burnley Crown Court Judge Beverley Lunt gave Davies a last chance to kick his habit after he admitted twice raiding Nelson fire station on one occasion threatening a firefighter with a screwdriver and violent behaviour.

Davies, of Dover Street, Nelson, who had almost 150 previous convictions, also asked for 45 offences carried out to fund his addiction to be considered.

Judge Lunt gave him a suspended jail sentence, 12 months supervision and a nine month drug rehabilitation requirement.

Magistrates had earlier warned Davies who also faced charges of supplying amphetamine he faced jail when they sent the case to crown court.

The crown court was told Davies was on bail from a prison term at the time of the fire station break-in, which happened on April 14.

Detective Sergeant Phill Warne said Mr Sadiq was shocked by the unusual incident.

He said: "This man has broken into the address and while in there he took some drugs which proved fatal.

"He collapsed at the address and was found by the householder on his return.

"He was shocked when he returned home as you do not expect to see something like that.

"Inquiries are still ongoing and a post mortem examination will take place to establish how he died.

"We are happy with the inquiries and we are not treating it as suspicious."