THE cause of the death of a policeman who was found at his home in Ebbw Vale is still being established, an inquest opening heard.

PC Rowan Helps, 32, was found dead at his home in Lilian Grove on October 3, when a chemical incident closed off his street.

At an opening into his inquest, held at Gwent Coroner’s Office, Newport, coroner’s officer Kenneth Le Prevost said a postmortem examination had been carried out but the results of further tests are being awaited before the cause of death can be established.

The death is not being treated as suspicious.

Mr Le Prevost said police were called to the home in Lilian Grove where PC Help’s body was found in the bathroom. The body was identified by a relative.

He said due to the nature of the circumstances, specific precautions were taken before the body was removed.

The Argus previously reported that a chemical incident at the time of the death closed the street.

Tests were being carried out on unknown chemicals found at the terraced house to determine exactly what they were.

Neighbours reported being told to keep their windows and doors shut at the time of the incident but were not evacuated from their homes.

PC Helps, who worked for the neighbourhood response north team and had been a police officer for seven years, had been under investigation by Gwent Police and suspended from the force.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been notified about his death.

Gwent coroner David Bowen said the body of PC Helps could nowbe released to his family.

He adjourned the inquest for three months to allow police investigations to continue.