An NHS Trust is investigating after reports a man was slumped dead over a table in a hospital coffee shop for several hours.

The man, 36, was found dead at the table, external at Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich in July, The Sunday Times newspaper reported.

It said members of the public and NHS staff, including doctors and nurses, had continued to use the cafe around the unnamed man. A security guard realised he had not moved for more than three hours but when he attempted to wake him he found there was no pulse.

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust said it was looking into the circumstances around the man’s sudden death on the hospital site.

Earlier that day, the man had received treatment at the hospital before being referred to an adult mental health facility directly across the road, the newspaper said.

The trust said a coroner had been informed about the man’s death.