The body of a 29-year-old homeless man had been lying beside an Oxford brook for two weeks before it was discovered, an inquest heard.

Jason Chambers, a regular resident at the night shelter in Luther Street, Oxford for the past three years, died after taking a mixture of drugs and alcohol.

An inquest yesterday heard that his body was found by a student at St Anne's College, Oxford, on May 17 last year. The body was covered in clothing beside Peasmoor Brook, Peasmoor Farm, Purcell Road, Oxford.

Dr Nathaniel Cary, of the department of forensic medicine at Guy's Hospital in London, told the inquest: "The state of the body was consistent with death a fortnight before."

Det Sgt Mark Wheatman said Mr Chambers's death had initially been treated as suspicious.

He said police had been unable to trace Mr Chambers's movements after May 5, when he last stayed at the night shelter. Evidence of drug taking was found beside the body and DNA tests on cigarette stubs revealed someone had been with him shortly before he died.

Det Sgt Wheatman said: "Clothes were laid over Mr Chambers in a fairly caring way, so whoever was with him simply thought he was asleep."

Oxfordshire coroner Nicholas Gardiner recorded an open verdict.