Cocaine triggered Entwistle's death

Rock legend John Entwistle died from a heart attack triggered by his heavy use of cocaine, it has been revealed.

The Who's bass guitarist's death was caused by "a significant amount of cocaine" which triggered an existing heart problem, says the official report from the Las Vegas coroner's office.

Entwistle, 57, was found dead in his hotel room on 27 June as the band was about to begin a North American tour.

He was known to have been taking medication for a heart condition and there have been reports that he had been warned that the stress of playing with the Sixtiessupergroup could endanger his life.

The official report from the Clark Country coroner Ron Flud concludes that his death was accidental and that the amount of cocaine Entwistle had taken was not enough to be called an overdose.

Instead, Entwistle's death occurred when the drug caused the contraction of coronary arteries that had already been damaged by heart disease.

"Cocaine is a different animal," Mr Flud said, explaining that it was impossible to say how much of the drug the star had taken.

"It's not like alcohol. There's no way we can put a number on it. You've got a lethal drug on board at the time you have a bad heart - that's a bad combination.''

Mr Flud added: "The amount of cocaine is not really important because everyone has different tolerance levels. He could have done a little or a lot, but in his medical condition he should not have been doing any. Without using technical terms we cannot overlook the amount of cocaine in his system.

The two together proved too much for his heart and caused his accidental death. As people get older they don't realise the long term effects that this has on them and the damage it does. As you get older nature takes it course. He just had too much."

Paramedics who were called to Entwistle's hotel suite in Las Vegas said there was no evidence of drug or alcohol excess.

While The Who had a reputation for excessive behaviour, Entwistle was always regarded as the group's quiet man.

Drummer Keith Moon died after an overdose of sleeping pills in 1978, while guitarist Pete Townshend has confessed-that he nearly killed himself on a binge of drink and drugs in the Eighties.

Entwistle, nicknamed "the Ox", had been taking medication for a heart problem, according to Steve Luongo, the drummer in the band Entwistle started after The Who.

Las Vegas police say there is not enough evidence in the guitarist's death to begin a criminal investigation. "From a legal point of view there isn't anything to be done because we don't have anybody else who might be responsible," said District Attorney Stewart Bell. Entwistle was one of the founding members of The Who, with Townshend and Roger Daltry, who first met at Acton Grammar School in the early Sixties.

The group were about to begin a three-month sell-out tour from Los Angeles to New York.

Daltry and Townshend decided to continue the tour even as funeral preparations were being made for Entwistle's funeral at Stow on the Wold.

Townshend admitted earlier this month that he was not sure if Entwistle would have wanted the tour to go on.

"I simply believe we have a duty to go on," he said. "I want to guide Roger and the rest of the band at this time, all of whom have been shaken by John's death."