A WORKMAN died after an incorrectly-fitted ladder collapsed as he climbed down from a Winchester loft, an inquest heard.

David Wood fell, hitting the back of his head on stone-tiled flooring at the bungalow in Rowlings Road, Weeke.

Emergency services found him unconscious on the floor, alongside the ladder on the afternoon of March 19 2013.

The 64-year-old gas fitter never regained consciousness, and died the following day at Southampton General Hospital of a fractured skull and severe brain injuries.

Wherwell resident Carmen Griffiths bought the flat as a buy-to-let several months before the accident.

She told the inquest how she left Mr Wood, of Peverells Wood Avenue, Chandler's Ford, climbing into the loft to inspect the boiler while she went to clean a shower.

"The only thing I heard was the ladder clattering onto the floor,” she said.

"It was a very loud, metallic sound. Mr Wood was lying on the floor on his back, directly under the loft.

"I shook his leg and shouted his name. I got no response and called 999.

"They tried very, very hard to resuscitate him. I was told he had gone into a deep coma."

The police statement of loft ladder installer Piotr Kowalczyk, of Howard Road, Shirley, Southampton, was read to the court.

He said he was employed by property maintenance firm FabShow UK Ltd, which was retained by Winchester letting agent Winkworths.

The 61-year-old divorced ex-miner, who listened to court proceedings through a Polish interpreter, said he had installed the ladder at the flat in December 2012, but didn't fit the retaining bar because of lack of loft space.

He said the pivot bar and their stops secured the structure, and "the ladder was therefore safe to use".

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Grahame Short regretted that Mr Kowalczyk had declined to answer questions in court, and suspected he had failed to understand the consequences of his actions.

He said that without the retaining bar there was nothing to stop the ladder becoming unstable, except for some small plastic parts which had snapped, leaving it to fall to the ground.

“Based on the evidence, I believe it’s more likely than not that David was on the ladder and probably descending when it started sliding away from him.

“The loft ladder had been fitted incorrectly, without a retaining bar assembly, so the ladder could swing through an angle exceeding its designed maximum.”

Hampshire Police investigated the death, but the Crown Prosecution Service later wrote to the Wood family, saying there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Mr Kowalczyk.

Mr Wood’s widow, Madeleine attended the hearing with her daughters Debbie and Suzanne.

Speaking after the hearing, Debbie, of Ivy Dene, Sholing, Southampton, said: “We’re pleased with the verdict today and hope now that we as a family can move on and that the Health and Safety Executive will run with a prosecution.

“We know Mr Kowakczyk didn’t set out to hurt anyone. But if I had done something wrong I wouldn’t be allowed to do that job again.”

Editor’s note: FabShow  UK Ltd has asked us to point out that the work of installing the ladder was referred to Mr Kowalczyk by FabShow, but he was an independent contractor and not an employee of FabShow.