AN active and independent 91-year-old died after a loft ladder fell on him, an inquest heard.

Kenneth Gough was found by his daughter, Anne Davies, on November 9 at his home in Newlands Road, Leominster.

The ladder to his loft was lying on top of him and he was taken to Hereford County Hospital.

The inquest at Herefordshire Coroners Court heard Mr Gough had developed aspiration pneumonia as a result of lying on the floor overnight and sadly died on November 13 in hospital.

In a statement read to the court, his son John Gough said he had been to his dad's home to fix a ball valve in his loft's cold water tank on November 8.

When he arrived his dad had already got the loft ladder down.

When the valve was fixed Mr Gough said he would put the loft ladder away but his dad told him to get on.

The court heard his dad was very active and independent and just two years ago had installed his own wall mounted central heating boiler.

Mr Gough, a retired electrical engineer, also worked four hours a day on an invention to produce electricity.

In a statement from his daughter, Mrs Davies, she said she visited her dad three to five times a week and telephoned every day.

On the Sunday morning she found Mr Gough lying on the floor on his stomach with the ladder on top of him. Because of his position he could not reach the emergency alarm around his neck.

He told his family he had been trying to put the ladder away when it fell and hit his neck.

Coroner for Herefordshire Mark Bricknell said: "This gentleman, apparently fiercely independent at quite an age, decided to replace a loft ladder. During the course of that procedure he fell and injuries were caused.

"Significantly there was a central cord syndrome injury and trauma to the neck from a falling ladder and probably during the period of time while he was on the floor he aspirated, which subsequently caused the pneumonia which was the principle medical cause of death."

He also said Mr Gough's medical history of pulmonary fibrosis, congestive cardiac failure, prostate cancer and type two diabetes would have been significant factors.

Mr Bricknell recorded an accidental death.

After the inquest, Mr John Gough said: "We were pleased he led an active life right to the very end."