THE son of a former parish council chief died of an accidental ecstasy overdose, an inquest heard.

Andrew Hulbert, son of former Chilworth parish council chairman Tony Hulbert, had been taken ill at his home.

A GP was called after Mr Hulbert began to suffer convulsions.

However, while waiting for the doctor to arrive the 48 year-old became unresponsive.

Despite the efforts of his wife, and mother, a former nurse, and ambulance crews to revive him he died at home in Woodside, Chilworth on June 21.

PC Christian Onslow, who attended the scene, said: “A number of family members were already in attendance as well as paramedics. It was an upsetting scene.

“I went into the bedroom, Andrew lay in bed. Mr Hulbert was under the duvet.

"I secured the scene and looked for evidence.

“Nothing indicated foul play, and I did not find any notes.”

Assistant Coroner, Sarah Whitby ruled out suicide concluding that despite his history of depression, Mr Hulbert was taking his medication and there was no indication that he had attempted to take his own life.

The inquest heard how the financial consultant had a history of depression, but was otherwise healthy at the time of his death.

A toxicology report revealed that Mr Hulbert had fatal levels of MDMA in his blood, enough to kill him several times over.

Dr Adnan Al-Badri, consultant pathologist at Royal Hampshire County Hospital, who conducted the post mortem said that Mr Hulbert’s brain was swollen, and lungs were full of fluid, and that this was consistent with severe cardiac arrest and over heating caused by MDMA toxicity.

He added: “You don’t know how much is in these tablets.”

Ms Whitby said that Mr Hulbert had died as a result of MDMA toxicity and recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.