A PRISONER died after smoking a number of spliffs containing the illegal drug spice, an inquest heard.

Mark James Collingborn, an inmate at HMP Guys Marsh in Shaftesbury, died on June 24.

The 36-year-old was locked in a cell with a fellow inmate when he died.

At the opening of his inquest, coroner’s officer Ken McEwan told the hearing Mr Collingborn had three spliffs containing spice, a highly addictive drug which is a form of synthetic cannabis.

At around 11pm, he fell asleep. The other inmate later awoke to the sound of Mr Collingborn bumping his head.

“They laughed and joked about it,” Mr McEwan said.

In the morning, the inmate was woken again, this time by the sound of Mr Collingborn struggling to breathe.

The inmate “soon realised Mr Collingborn wasn’t joking” as he was “gasping for breath”.

He jumped out of bed to help.

At 7.13am he pressed a panic button and the guard “very quickly came and gave CPR”.

Paramedics arrived afterwards, but at 7.55pm Mr Collingborn was pronounced dead.

The police’s Criminal Investigation Department attended the prison.

Mr McEwan added a post-mortem examination was carried out on June 26 at Holly Tree Lodge in Bournemouth, but the pathologist was unable to provide a provisional cause of death.

Coroner Rachael Griffin said police had conducted a “full enquiry”, and there were no suspicious circumstances or third party involvement in Mr Collingborn’s death.

Due to an investigation by the prisons and probation ombudsman, Ms Griffin has requested statements “as soon as possible” from Mr Collingborn’s family, the police, and records from Guys Marsh.

The inquest has been adjourned until September 4 when a pre-inquest review will be held.