A "charming" but reclusive man was found dead in his home a week after neighbours saw him alive, an inquest has heard.

The body of Lawrence Messer, 64, was found fully clothed next to his bed in his home in Kew on June 26 this year.

It is not known how long Mr Messer, who had brain and lung cancer, had been dead, but an inquest at West London Coroner’s Court on Wednesday, October 22, heard his body was "badly decomposed".

PC Jason Lawes was called to Mr Messer’s flat in Royal Parade, Station Approach, after a neighbour raised concerns about his welfare and said there was a smell coming from the flat.

He forced entry into the home and found Mr Messer’s body.

A postmortem examination was unable to ascertain a cause of death due to the advanced decomposition of the body.

In a statement, Mr Messer’s sister Susan Smith, said: "He was a charming companion. He was fun and kind and he sailed, skied and played tennis. He was very secretive and could be reclusive.

"To my knowledge no one in the family ever went to his home. From time to time, Lawrence would disappear."

Mrs Smith said contact ceased between Mr Messer and his family in 2005 when he cut off his phone and his family later found out he was not living at the address he said.

She added: "We did not know he was ill and did not know about his financial situation. If we did, we would have wanted to help him.

"He was what he was and we will still grieve for him."

Delivering his conclusion, senior coroner Chinyere Inyama said: "The only conclusion I can come to is an open conclusion because the cause of death is unascertained."