German man found after 7 years dead in bed

The decomposed corpse of a German man was found alone in his bed after nearly seven years, police in the western city of Essen have said.

The police said in a statement the man was 59 and unemployed at the time of his death. He most likely died of natural causes on November 30, 2000, the date he received a letter from the Welfare Office found in the apartment, police said.

Next to the dead man's bed police found cigarettes, an open television guide and Deutschemark coins, which came out of circulation after the euro was introduced in 2002.

The man's apartment was in a building with offices and apartments, many of which are now empty.

"No one missed him. No missing person report was ever filed," the police said.