A DIABETIC pensioner, who plunged from ladders at his home, died from head injuries, an inquest heard.

The Burnley hearing was told how retired school caretaker, James Michael Murray, 65, had gone up the ladders in his slippers. His wife, who was at work, had believed he was going to tender to his allotment.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, East Lancashire coroner David Smith said Mr Murray may have felt dizzy or giddy or felt a stab of pain in his knee which unbalanced him - none of which would show up on a post mortem examination.

Mr Murray's widow Violet, of Kiddrow Lane, Burnley, had told the inquest opening that her husband died in the Royal Preston Hospital on September 16.

Two days earlier, he had complained of leg pains and was due to see a doctor.

Mr Murray had dropped her off at work and said he was taking a neighbour's little boy to his allotment.

She added that their next door neighbour was due to do some work on his troughing and Mr Murray had earlier put some planks of wood across the roof of their outhouse, ready for it to begin.

Mrs Murray had said when her husband died, he was wearing jogging pants and slippers, but she would have expected him to put on old clothes if he was going to do any work. He usually asked her to put her foot on the bottom rung if he was using ladders, to steady them.

Mr Murray was taken to Burnley General Hospital but later transferred to the Royal Preston.

Pathologist Dr W Salman said Mr Murray had some degree of osteoarthritis in his knee joints. He had suffered two fractures to his skull and extensive haemorrhaging.

Mr Murray had some heart disease but there was no evidence of a heart attack. He died of head injuries.

The Murrays' neighbour Mrs Irene Gallagher told the inquest how she was sitting at home in their conservatory with her daughter, when she heard a thud.

She looked into the garden, then stood on a chair and saw Mr Murray on the floor, on his back, on the concrete.

The ladders appeared to have slipped and Mr Murray's legs were entangled.

Mrs Gallagher said she ran into her house and an ambulance was called. Her daughter and another neighbour covered Mr Murray with a blanket.

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