A MAN who was found on fire in a public toilet died from a brain haemorrhage, an inquest heard today.

Jonathan Mills, from Netherwoods, Risinghurst, died on February 9 in a block of public toilets in Southampton Street, Faringdon.

The 49-year-old plasterer accidentally set fire to himself after he collapsed and a cigarette ignited his clothes.

At an inquest at Oxford Coroner's Court into Mr Mills death, Oxfordshire coroner Darren Salter returned a verdict of natural causes.

He accepted the opinion of Home Office forensic pathologist Dr Alexander Kolar that although there was some burning and charring to Mr Mills' body, it was the subrachnoid haemorrhage due to a rupture of the middle cerebral artery that caused his death.

The plasterer had left for work as usual on the morning of February 9 at about 7am and went to a job in Faringdon.

He went to the public toilets in the town at about 9.30am, stopping to buy a small bottle of vodka along the way.

Mr Salter read out statements from two people who passed the toilets about an hour later and heard mumbling and loud snoring from the cubicle Mr Mills was locked inside.

These sounds are said to be common from people who have suffered brain injuries.

The fire brigade was called shortly before 2pm, when smoke was noticed coming from the toilets.

Some passersby tried to save Mr Mills but were unable to break down the door.

Mr Salter read out a statement from one of them, Graham Jackson, who climbed onto the toilet in the adjoining cubicle to see if he could help Mr Mills.

He said: "I saw this man [Mr Mills] lying between the toilet and the wall.

"He was looking up at me.

"His hair was all singed and I could tell he was still alive at that point because he was still sort of moaning. It was as if he had fallen into a large slump."

Mr Mills was brought out of the cubicle by firefighters who performed CPR but were unable to save him.