A BUSKER thought to be homeless died in hospital after collapsing in Malvern on one of the coldest nights of the year.

Nicholas Lewtschuk was found outside a house in Newtown Road, Link Top, at 7.30am last Friday (December 18).

He was rushed to casualty at Worcestershire Royal Hospital where he was treated for hypothermia, but he died later that day.

An inquest, which opened at Stourport on Tuesday morning, heard that Mr Lewtschuk, who was aged 31, had a history of drug abuse.

Worcestershire coroner Victor Round said Mr Lewtschuk may have also been suffering from diabetes. He adjourned the inquest for a date to be fixed.

Records show the temperature in Malvern that night fell to minus 4.7 degrees centigrade.

At the inquest, Mr Lewtschuk was described as of no fixed abode, but it is also thought he may have been living in a house at Newtown Road.

Last month, Mr Lewtschuk was made the subject of an anti-social behaviour order, which banned him from begging or busking in Malvern town centre.

The order also banned him from entering all licensed premises in the town, a number of town centre shops and the Lyttelton Well.

He was also banned from shouting, swearing and abusing members of the public, and from conduct likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, including exposing "anti-Christ" tattoos.

He was ordered not to take or be under the influence of drink and drugs in public.

At the October hearing, Mr Lewtschuk was told by district judge Bruce Morgan that he could face up to five years' imprisonment if he broke these rules.