AN 85-year-old man died after suffering a “serious head trauma” when he fell down a flight of stairs at his home.

On March 4, Alan Baxendale, a retired battery inspector, from Windermere Road, Farnworth, had been getting an evening drink of whiskey from his drinks cabinet when his wife Brenda heard a “large crash”.

When she came to him she found he had suffered a head injury and rushed him to Salford Hospital. However he died two days later.

An inquest at Bolton Coroners’ Court heard that until he had suffered a back injury in another fall last year, Mr Baxendale, had “enjoyed relatively good health”.

In a statement read to the court Mrs Baxendale described how her husband, a father of two and grandfather of two, had developed mobility issues after he retired.

Prior to his death he used a walking stick for 30 years and Mrs Baxendale noted that “he gave up driving two years ago when he felt his legs were not working as they should.”

A stairlift was fitted to the couple’s home, however, Mrs Baxendale, said her husband “only used it late at night and only on occasion during the day but liked to climb the stairs to exercise his legs”.

In the last months of his life Mr Baxendale had eight falls including one in his garden last year in which he suffered a fractured spine.

The inquest also heard that Mr Baxendale had ischemic heart disease, dementia and had several episodes of skin cancer.

On the night of March 4, Mrs Baxendale’s statement said: “Alan went upstairs to use the toilet and didn’t use the stair lift.

“Prior to this he had not complained of felling unwell.

“I heard him go to the cupboard where he kept his whiskey and wine and I heard him open it and the sound of him getting a drink.

“I heard the cupboard close and then I immediately heard a large crash as he fell down the stairs.”

Mrs Baxendale rushed to her husband and found him unconscious with a head injury after he had banged it on the stairlift as he fell.

She then phoned her daughter and an ambulance and Mr Baxendale was taken to hospital.

Her statement added: “He did not regain consciousness and never recovered.”

Once in hospital, the inquest heard, a decision was made that Mr Baxendale was “not suitable for surgery” and he was placed on palliative care.

On March 6 he “passed away peacefully in hospital.”

Following Mr Baxendale’s death a police investigation was carried out but found no suspicious circumstances.

Coroner Rachel Syed recorded a conclusion of accidental death caused by a traumatic brain injury, with secondary causes recorded as ischemic heart disease, frailty and dementia.

She said: “Alan Lee Baxendale died on March 6, 2019, at Salford Royal Hospital following an injury sustained in a fall down a flight of stairs at his home.

“He had mobility problems and was prone to falling but it is not possible to determine the exact nature of the fall.”

Coroner Syed added: “I would like to offer my heartfelt condolences to the family.”