A VERDICT of accidental death was recorded on Monday on a 23-year-old man and a 21-year-old girl who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a garage in St Albans.

Rawnak Chowdhury, of Trumpington Drive, St Albans, and Morena Felici from Italy, were found dead by Mr Chowdhury's best friend Mr Mohammad Sunam of Holyrood Crescent, St Albans, at his garage in Abbots Avenue West, on November 27.

The court heard how Mr Chowdhury and Miss Felici were found on separate seats of the car, which was locked, under a duvet or sleeping bag.

The car's ignition was turned on and the heaters were turned up to the highest level, although when police arrived at the scene the car's battery was dead.

Both victims were described as showing classic symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, including blueness to the skin, due to oxygen deficiency and speckled haemorrhaging across the surface of the heart indicating carbon monoxide poisoning.

The court heard how Mr Chowdhury, Miss Felici and Mr Sunam had met up in London on Saturday, November 25, for a night out and all three returned to St Albans together in Mr Sunam's car. He then dropped off Mr Chowdhury and Miss Felici early Sunday morning before returning home.

Mr Sunam said: "I pulled up outside his house and he got in his car and I saw him drive his car away with her in it. That's the last time I saw him, early on Sunday morning. I didn't see him park his car in my garage.

"On Sunday I slept quite late and I didn't go into my garage. The next day I had jury service and I went back after jury service to the garage."

Mr Sunam described his friend as a "good person". "He was happy", he said.

Recording a verdict of accidental death coroner Edward Thomas said: "I am quite clear this was a tragic accident.

"I think what happened was that they went back there to keep warm and may well have fallen asleep. They weren't intending to harm themselves. The fact that there was no real ventilation and it was very cold meant the carbon monoxide produced by the car had nowhere to escape."