Man died after falling down the stairs at his home

Martin Robert Field, 65, fell at his Burley Gate home on February 2, before dying the next day at Hereford County Hospital.

County Coroner Mark Bricknell recorded a verdict of accidental death at the inquest into his death at Hereford Town Hall on Wednesday.

He said: "He suffered an unsurvivable head injury when he fell down the stairs although we don't know the reason why he fell down the stairs.

"It's highly possible it had something to do with the high blood alcohol concentration in his body."

Scientist Dr Collin Seneviratne, ROAR Forensics, Malvern, carried out an examination of his body and said that there was a large amount of alcohol in Mr Field's system at the time of the fall.

He said: "It was unlikely to be the reason in itself for death in any way and the effects would depend on the drinkers tolerance to alcohol.

"The normal effects would be drunkenness, impaired concentration and a reduction in reflexes. The effects would be less on a heavy drinker."

Dr Alastair Garner, of Nunwell Surgery, Bromyard, said that Mr Field consumed an excessive amount of alcohol and was drinking heavily from 2011 despite trying to get help.

Maureen Massey-Field, his wife of 20 years said that the pair had moved to Burley Gate after Mr Field had retired from the police force after 17 years service due to suffering from depression.

"Over the last few years his depression got worse and he would drink all times of the day," said Mrs Massey-Field.

"On February 2, he had been drinking although I never saw him as he used to do so privately."

Mrs Massey-Field said that at around 6pm she found her husband in the dining room, he said that he wasn't feeling well and was going to bed.

She added: "I went back into the television room when I heard several bumps on the stairs and a loud bang.

"I got up and saw him lying on the floor and when I called he didn't reply."

An ambulance arrived 10 minutes after being called and he was taken to Hereford County Hospital.