A FALL at home ended the life of a man with a drinking problem, an inquest heard.

Christopher Walker was found lying at the bottom of a stairway at his home in Mallard Close, Kempshott, on the evening of November 16 last year.

A post-mortem examination revealed that he suffered internal bleeding on his brain, which probably occurred as a result of the fall.

PC Terry Cook told the inquest at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court that he was called to the house after Mr Walker’s body was spotted through a letterbox by his stepson, Richard Walker.

The body was found at the bottom of the stairway, and Mr Walker had one leg entangled in a piece of rug and was still holding the lead for a battery charger.

PC Cook said: “It was not suspicious but it was slightly unusual due to the circumstances.”

Relatives of Mr Walker had tried to persuade him to seek help with his drinking habit, but he had refused.

Mr Walker had previously had a fall at a supermarket car park which was related to alcohol.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Andrew Bradley, coroner for north east Hampshire, said the body’s position indicated that Mr Walker fell when walking up the stairs.

He said: “He certainly was not drinking at the time it happened. It might have been the alcoholism and his frailty (that caused the fall).

“The reason for the fall we can only surmise.

“Christopher was clearly found in a situation where there’s a bit of rug around his leg and he was doing something with a battery box. I’m not sure I can take the matter much further.”