THE tragic consequences of drunken pranks have been highlighted following the deaths of two 21-year-old friends.

Coroner Malcolm Donnelly issued the warning after recording an open verdict into the death of David Bexley who never recovered after an incident at a drunken party at a friend's house in Trimdon Station, County Durham.

His death led to friend Sean Macleod taking a fatal overdose of tablets.

The inquest heard how Mr Bexley of Sedgefield was the target of a drunken prank when he fell into a deep sleep after consuming "vast amounts" of alcohol and painkillers.

Mr Macleod, also from Sedgefield, decided to shave hair from all over his friend's body and shoved a bundle of clippings down his throat on October 13, 2007.

Mr Bexley stopped breathing six hours later due to the cocktail of drink, drugs and hair restricting his airflow, the Hartlepool inquest heard.

He died 13 months later in the University Hospital of Hartlepool, on November 18, 2008, from pneumonia.

Mr Macleod took an overdose and died two months after the incident on December 4, 2007, after he was arrested and questioned by police over the incident. He was never charged.

Hartlepool coroner Malcolm Donnelly said: "What seems to have started as a prank has ended in tragedy.

"The reason these inquests are held in public are to warn people of the potential dangers of this type of folly."

Mr Donnelly recorded an open verdict as a pathology report by Dr Jennifer Ruth Hamilton stated that the alcohol, liquid methadone painkillers and hair blockage could have "equally reduced his reflex to breath".

For the full story see The Northern Echo tomorrow.