A coroner has called for all homes to be fitted with a carbon monoxide detector after hearing how fumes from a faulty gas fire killed a 59-year-old man.

John Kayley had talked of replacing the leaking fire only days before he died at the hands of "the silent killer", a Bradford inquest heard.

Coroner Roger Whittaker was told that carbon monoxide was prevented from escaping because a hole at the back of the fire was filled with debris and the top of the chimney was blocked by over-grown ivy.

The 20-year-old gas fire had never been serviced and Mr Whittaker has urged anyone with a gas appliance to have them regularly checked by qualified professionals.

He said: "It's clear that there was no way the fumes could escape. It's a great tragedy."

He added: "The lessons need to be learned so everyone with this sort of appliance needs to be rigorous with the way they are serviced in accordance with manufacturers' guidelines at least annually.

"A double safeguard is available with carbon monoxide detectors."

The alarm was raised by Mr Kayley's brother Ian, who on the morning of November 23 last year noticed his car was still in the driveway meaning that his brother had not gone to work.

He used his key to get into the house in Aire View, Silsden, where he found Mr Kayley unresponsive in an armchair.

Emergency crews were called but Mr Kayley had already died and a post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning.

Mr Whittaker recorded a verdict of accidental death.