THE heartbroken family of Terence Clare, whose body was discovered earlier this year in a field in Orford, have been left with many unanswered questions following the inquest into his death.

The body of Terence was discovered by a group of teenagers, aged 12 to 13, on wasteland near to the junction of St Peter's Way and Battersby Lane on April 20 at 5pm.

The 40-year-old, of Fox Street, had last been seen by his family when his sister Michelle dropped him off at Chevys bar on Manchester Road at around 6pm on April 9.

But while Terence had struggled with mental health and drug addiction in the past, in the few months leading up to his death he had been determined to turn his life around.

Michelle revealed there were no tell-tale signs he had been taking drugs and he had been laughing and joking in the car.

She said: "In 2015 I had seen a real improvement in Terence. He was the best he had been in a long time.

"I am confident that if something had been playing on his mind he would have told me or his mum."

The inquest heard how Terence had been dropped off at Chevys where he had met up with a friend.

He had enjoyed four to five pints and appeared to be in good spirits.

He left around one hour later and he got a taxi to Academy Way in the town centre.

CCTV footage captured Terence walking up Bridge Street and Buttermarket Street to the Cockhedge Shopping Centre with a man at around 7pm.

The recording also caught a brief disagreement between a third man and Terence.

Investigations by police later revealed that Terence had later attended a house in Orford where he had been drinking and taking drugs.

It was this potent combination - as Terence had recently been steering clear of drugs - which led to his death.

Seeing his mother subjected to domestic abuse as a child, his parents' divorce and his youngest sister’s death following a car crash 15 years ago fuelled his problems with drink and drugs.

This caused Terence to self-harm, which later escalated to suicide attempts.

His mother Fran Clare said: "His youngest sister was involved in a horrific accident and sadly died.

"It was completely unexpected and tore us all apart.

"Terence was really close with Becki and this impacted on him badly."

Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg was unable to rule at what time or date Terence died but added there were no concerning injuries or evidence of foul play - despite Terence's phone, keys, wallet being missing.

He said: "He had somewhat of a tragic background and he was unsettled by the breakdown of the marriage of his parents which clearly had an effect on him.

"More fundamentally he had been shocked and devastated by the sudden and unexpected death of his sister.

"He had taken drugs to deaden the effect of his loss and the turmoil of his younger years."

He added: "Ironically in the past few months of his life he was getting his life back together and on track."

Mr Rheinberg concluded at Warrington Coroner's Court on Tuesday that Terence had died of alcohol, heroin and cocaine toxicity and that there was no evidence to suggest he had died as a result of a suicide attempt.