A "respected" and "loving" father was died after he was found with his head trapped between railings while on a night out, an inquest has heard.
An inquest into Ashley Murphy-Hayes death heard he was found by a passerby down a side street before being taken to hospital.
Despite attempts to save his life, the 26-year-old died from his injuries, MailOnline reports.
Ashley and his girlfriend Kartina Kirkby were in Bolton town centre with school friend Paul Barrett and had visited ROC Night Club and Bamboogy dance club on January 7.
The young father "seemed to be fine," according to Mr Barrett and was being his "usual annoying self, but in a good way".
However, the inquest heard the couple had an argument while in the club which continued as they were followed outside by a friend.
As the three walked back in the direction of the club Mr Murphy-Hayes went down a side street to go for a cigarette.
When asked by coroner John Pollard if this concerned Mr Barnett at all, he said: "He never, to my knowledge, attempted to harm himself."
Mr Barnett and Ms Kirkby then returned to the club and later that night, he was told by a bouncer he knew "not to go down the road" as "Ash had been taken to hospital".
Passers-by Mbekezeli Mayo and Jude Esan found Ashley with his neck stuck between railings, unresponsive and with no pulse around 4am.
Mr Mayo said he was "completely limp" and the pair of them lifted him clear of the railings before a manager of the nightclub called the police and an ambulance.
Despite frantic efforts to save Mr Murphy-Hayes, he was pronounced an hour later.
His cause of death was given as asphyxia due to neck compression.
A police witness at the hearing said no one else was involved in the death.
Concluding the death was an accident, Mr Pollard said: "I have heard hundreds, possibly thousands of times of pathologists over the decades.
"You would be amazed how quickly you can lose consciousness due to compression of the neck.
"I think he has lost consciousness very quickly, and he does sag which then puts all the pressure on his neck."
After the hearing, Mr Murphy-Hayes' family said: "He was respected and loved by many, and he will be missed.
"You knew when Ashley was in the room. He was a loving father to his son."
