A convicted heroin dealer was found dead from a suspected drugs overdose in Chippenham's Pines Hotel on Sunday, just weeks after leaving prison.

Stewart Donachie, 33, formerly of Pipsmore Road in Chippenham, was discovered dead in a bath at the Marshfield Road hotel.

This is the second death at the Pines in just three weeks, the first being a suspected drugs overdose by Luke Wright on June 4.

Police were unable to confirm the cause of Mr Donachie's death but DS Alan Strike said: "We are keeping an open mind. No post mortem has been carried out as yet and it may be some time before we know, due to the need for toxicology tests."

Chippenham Town and North Wiltshire District Councillor Dianne Moore, who represents the ward, said the incidents involving drugs at the Pines Hotel were very worrying and she wants to meet police to talk about what can be done to protect the local community.

"It is not our council that uses it as homeless accommodation. The hotel is a commercial venture and it is Bath that uses it.

"I think we need to work with Bath to see if something can be done."

The Mayor of Chippenham Coun Ross Henning, who lives just along the road from the hotel, said it was very sad a man had died and called for more support to be given to people leaving prison.

"If people do not have a family to go to, or if their family has disowned them and doesn't want anything to do with them it can be very hard," he said.

"I know a lot of people would say good riddance but it is sad."

In December 2001 Mr Donachie was sentenced to four years in jail after selling heroin from his home.

At the time of his arrest he was heavily addicted to heroin and funded his habit by selling at a profit to pay for his own drugs.

Mr Donachie had been staying at the Pines for about a week at the time of his death.

Hotel assistant Rodney Haines made the shocking discovery of the dead man in a bath at the hotel early Sunday morning.

Mr Haines said his own room was next to the bathroom Mr Donachie used.

"At about 11.30pm on Saturday I went upstairs and I noticed the bathroom was locked, so I went downstairs and used another one. I didn't think anything of it.

"The next morning I woke up at about 6.35am and the bathroom was still engaged. I got the master key and opened the door and that's when I saw him in the bath."

Pines Hotel proprietor Kewal Rama declined to speak about the recent deaths at the hotel and how the situation might be addressed, saying he was unable to comment because it had not been confirmed how the men had died.