The decomposed body of an alcoholic found by two 10-year-old boys playing in woods was lying there for up to six months, an inquest heard.

Father-of-one Frederic Bihen, 39, was found by the children in the woods off New Wanstead Road, Wanstead, on the morning of April 27 last year.

The coroner at Walthamstow Coroners Court yesterday ruled that no cause of death could be established because of the advanced state of decomposition.

The court heard that Mr Bihen, who lived in Hermon Hill, Wanstead, was last seen alive in October 2013 when he was admitted to Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone due to his alcohol dependency.

He had split from his partner of nine years and was sleeping rough.

Stephen Steele, who lives next to the wood, said his son and nephew, both 10, were playing there when they stumbled upon the decomposed body.

He said: “It was around 10.50am and they were playing in the woods.

“They both ran back to the house and appeared breathless and in shock shouting ‘body in the ditch’.

“Following them back I saw something in the shape of a body and the flesh appeared to have been eaten.

“I didn’t want to touch it because the flesh was putrefied, smelt and was covered in flies.

“I immediately called the police.”

The body was identified as Mr Bihen when police found a bank card in his jacket and carried out DNA tests.

Two vodka bottles were found next to the body and police said the decomposition was "considerable with maggots and larvae present, and skeletonised in places".

Ex-partner Jessica Norambuena, with whom he had a daughter, described Mr Bihen's descent into alcohol dependency.

She said: “At first Frederic was a great father and adored his family.

“He first started having issues with drink when his mother died in December 2009 and I found bottles of wine around the house.

“Frederic then lost his job in early 2012 as a hospitality manager.

“He was devastated and would cry regularly.

“The drinking got worse and I found a bottle of vodka in his bag.

“He was not eating and his behaviour became more erratic.

"He turned up once with a swollen lip and no recollection of how it had happened, so we split.”

Ms Norambuena last saw Mr Bihen in the summer of 2013 and he was still in regular contact with his daughter.

When this contact suddenly stopped in November, she contacted police to report him missing and even went looking for him.

On April 27 the next year, she was visited by police who told her his body had been found.

Giving her verdict, coroner Nadia Persaud said: “I am satisfied in the evidence that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

“There was no evidence of injuries to the body.

“The extent of decomposition is consistent with his body being there for up to six months.

“As we have not been provided a cause of death it is not possible to reach a conclusion so I must give an open conclusion of unascertained.” 

East London and West Essex Guardian Series: Boys find body of man in woods

Police at the scene in April last year in the woods off New Wanstead.