An inquest into the death of much-loved The Prodigy frontman Keith Flint has opened.

Mr Flint, 49, was found dead in his home in Brook Hill, North End, Great Dunmow on Monday, March 4.

Bandmates Liam Howlett and Maxim described him as "a true pioneer, innovator and legend".

In a separate post last Monday Howlett claimed that "our brother Keith took his own life over the weekend".

At the opening of his inquest at Essex Coroners Court this morning (March 11), coroner's officer Lynsey Chaffe confirmed the provisional cause of death to be by 1A hanging.

She said: “On March 4, 2019, Mr Flint, a 49-year-old gentleman, was found unresponsive at his home address.

“An ambulance was called, paramedics arrived and confirmed Mr Flint had sadly passed away. Police attended and all protocols were followed and the death was confirmed as not suspicious.

“A post morten examination was carried out on March 7, 2019, at Broomfield Hospital by Doctor Lower, a consultant histopathologist, who has given a provisional cause of death as 1A hanging, under investigation while we are awaiting results of toxicology.”

The cause will remain under investigation until the toxicology results are in.

The inquest has been adjourned until Tuesday, July 23.

Meanwhile, two of The Prodigy's songs have entered the Official Big Top 40 following the death of the singer.

His death sparked a surge in streams and downloads of the electronic band's music, and their 1996 track Firestarter is now at seven in the Official Big Top 40 chart.

Their hit Breathe, which was also first released in 1996, is at number 31.

Both songs were number one when they were first unveiled.