A FORMER governor of Winchester prison died after breaking his neck falling down the stairs at his home in the city, an inquest has heard.

Meredith Roberts, who was always known by his middle name of Vey, survived for several weeks following the accident on January 5 this year, but then contracted a fatal bout of pneumonia.

The 85-year-old, who lived at Hillside Close, Weeke, eventually died at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital on January 24th.

His widow Mrs Sheila Roberts told the court how they had spent the morning of his fall attending Winchester Cathedral, before returning home for lunch.

"He went upstairs to get his book," she said.

"It was during the process of coming down that he must have slipped on the step.

"He fell forward on the last few stairs and hit his head on the front door which was in front of him."

Mr Roberts was taken to hospital where it was found that he had broken a bone at the top of his neck.

In the days that followed he contracted C-difficile and then pneumonia, which today’s Winchester inquest heard is a common complication in an elderly patient who has suffered an injury leaving them immobile.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Grahame Short said: "I think the significant thing was that he struck the front of his head.

"It was that which fractured the second vertebrae in the top of his spine."

Mr Meredith was an officer with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers before joining the prison service, eventually becoming governor of Winchester Prison between 1983 and 1988.

Following his retirement he and his wife carried out extensive voluntary work at the hospital and at the cathedral, where his funeral was held in February.