A 55-YEAR-OLD man who died after falling into a stream in Earby earlier this year had fallen into the water five years previously, an inquest heard.

The inquest at Burnley Magistrates Court heard how Douglas Sprout, of Aspen Lane, drowned on March 23 after he lost his balance as he walked home from the pub.

He fell down the five feet embankment shortly after midnight and his body was discovered in the water later that day by a passer-by who called the police.

But his cousin Norma Cowgill said it was not the first time Mr Sprout - known locally as Dougie - had ended up in the Earby Beck.

She said: "He was a big fisherman. He used to come down from the Red Lion and if he heard any noise he used to look over the Beck wall for fish. One time after he had had a drink he heard fish splashing and he went too far and fell in.

"It was a bit further up the stream than this time. The last one was real good drop."

She said her cousin had drunk about seven pints before he walked home.

She had met him in the Central WMC in Earby at about 7pm before he and a group of people moved on for a night out in Skipton.

They went round a number of pubs in Skipton before heading back to Earby at 10.30pm, by which time Mr Sprout had started to slur his words. He went off to the Red Lion, where he went most nights.

Mrs Cowgill said: "He was out every night and loved to socialise because he lived by himself. He walked home the same way he did every night."

William Taylor, licensee at the Red Lion, said Mr Sprout had arrived at the pub at lunch time on March 22 and had about two and a half pints before he left.

He returned at 10.30pm and had another three pints. Mr Taylor decided not to serve him any more alcohol so he set off to walk home along Walter Street.

Dr WD Salman said Mr Sprout had suffered a cut on the right side of his forehead and a fractured bone in his neck but had not damaged his spinal cord.

He said the amount of alcohol in both his blood and urine showed he had been moderately intoxicated and he said the cause of death had been drowning under the influence of alcohol.

Acting East Lancashire coroner Richard Taylor recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said: "On the night he had a lot to drink which was not something terribly unusual. He used to like going out socialising and he had taken this journey many times before. Once five years ago he had a similar fall but it appears on the night in question he had quite a lot to drink and whether he stumbled or tripped or was looking over the edge we will never know. But whatever happened it would have been an accident."