A FALKLANDS veteran battling a drink problem died after suffering a suspected seizure which caused him to fall and fracture his skull, an inquest was told.

Warrant Officer Robert Wainman, 45, of Grange Road, Rawtenstall, suffered a brain haemmorhage as he walked to the shops.

He died at the Fairfield General Hospital, Bury, three days later on May 5.

Consultant pathologist Dr Zuhir Twage, who carried out the post-mortem examination, told the inquest the fatal haemmorhage was the result of injuries sustained in the fall and that there was no indication of what had caused the seizure.

But members of his family said he had been an alcoholic for a number of years and had been known to suffer from ‘fits’ when he was in the process of withdrawing or ‘drying out’.

Mr Wainman served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in Northern Ireland and the former Yugoslavia.

He had been on sick leave since October last year and was due to be discharged on medical grounds in June.

Captain Chris Carter, of the Duke of Lancaster’s 4th Battalion, told the heaing the Army had been aware of Mr Wainman’s drink problem and had entered him into a rehab-ilitation programme.

But the father-of-two had been been sent home on long-term sick leave after suffering a seizure last October.

Dr Twage said there was no alcohol in Mr Wainman’s blood when he died.

Coroner Richard Taylor recorded a verdict of accidental death.