Teesside man dies after downing pint of vodka

A man died after downing a pint of vodka in four seconds, an inquest heard.

Richard Davies, 29, from Thornaby, near Stockton, had been drinking with friends before the alcohol knocked him unconscious in January.

Mr Davies was found not breathing in a pool of his own blood, and died hours later.In a statement read out by deputy Teesside coroner Tony Eastwood, he said: "Richard drank a pint of vodka in four seconds or so.

"I did try to take the glass off him, but he turned his back on me, pushed me away, and drank it all."

Paramedics were later called, but by the time they arrived Mr Davies was dead.

Pathologist Jan Lowe said Mr Davies had an alcohol level enough to have caused acute alcohol poisoning.

He was 5 times the legal limit and had been also high on Mephedrone. The Darwin award could be awarded for this.

So friends, if you're going to drink... drink slowly.