Television star Michael Barrymore is expected to give evidence at the inquest into the death of a man found floating in his swimming pool.

Mr Barrymore looked drunk as he left a nightclub for his home in Roydon, Essex in March last year with other revellers, the inquest has been told.

Among them was Stuart Lubbock, 31, who was later found face-down in his underwear in Mr Barrymore's swimming pool and was declared dead shortly afterwards in hospital.

A post mortem found drowning to be the cause of death but pathologists have told the hearing in Epping that traces of cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol were found in his system.

Stuart Lubbock was a ladies' man, says ex-partner

Internal injuries were also found on Mr Lubbock's body which could have been the result of a serious sexual assault, the inquest has been told.

On Wednesday, taxi driver Keith Herrett said the 50-year-old entertainer had looked "very badly the worse for wear" on the night of the 31 March last year.

Under cross-examination by Michael Mansfield QC Mr Herrett said he had heard the entertainer shout that he could do with sex.

Stuart Lubbock's brother Kevin, who spoke to the celebrity at Harlow's Millennium nightclub, said: "He looked terrible, like he'd been throwing up in the loos."

'Ladies man'

Kevin Lubbock described any suggestion that his brother had been homosexual was "unthinkable".

Mr Lubbock's ex-partner Claire Wickes, who is the mother of his two daughters, told the inquest he had been a "ladies man".

Ms Wickes and Mr Lubbock's on-off girlfriend Karen Harris both told the hearing that Mr Lubbock had admitted to them that he took ecstasy - sometimes up to four tablets on a weekend night.

The inquest has been told Mr Lubbock, a butcher from Harlow, could have died from a number of causes, including cardiac arrest brought on by drink and drugs.

The hearing continues.