Penioner's fall death an accident (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Penioner's fall death an accident

1:42pm Friday 2nd May 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share

PENSIONER David Ockwell died accidentally when he fell off a ladder while trimming a neighbour's hedge, an inquest has heard.

Gloucestershire coroner Alan Crickmore said Mr Ockwell had overbalanced and fallen while doing the gardening work for the Bathurst famly at Little Court in Ampney Crucis on February 11 this year.

"Mr Ockwell misjudged how the branch was going to move. Perhaps, he expected more resistance."

Gloucestershire coroner Alan Crickmore

The 76-year-old, of Pound Tree Bungalow, Ampney Crucis, was certified dead 12 days later at Bristol's Frenchay Hospital.

Benjamin Bathurst, 18, in a statement, said he was at home for half-term at Little Court and his mother had asked Mr Ockwell to trim the boundary hedge in preparation for a party.

The teen said Mr Ockwell arrived with all the necessary equipment and he was helping by carrying branches to a bonfire.

He said he was using an aluminium ladder and a chain saw and going up and down.

"He didn't really explain to me what he was doing," he said.

He teenager said Mr Ockwell chainsawed one branch and put it on top of the hedge, then pulled a branch in the direction of the ground, but to his surprise, Mr Ockwell kept going with it.

"The ladder stayed where it was and he fell to to the ground," said Mr Bathurst.

Paramedics arrived and an air ambulance was called and he was taken to Frenchay Hospital, the court heard.

When he arrived at hospital he had intra-cranial bleeding and facial fractures and on February 13 he had a left hip replacement.

On February 19, he developed hospital acquired pneumonia and he died four days later.

A post mortem put the cause of death down as head injury.

Recording a verdict of accidental, Mr Crickmore said: "He was 76. He had been in the habit of helping out with neighbours.

"He was well used to doing this type of work.

"I think the implication of the statement was that Mr Ockwell misjudged how the branch was going to move. Perhaps, he expected more resistance."

Consequently, he overbalanced, he said.

"I'm satisfied that he died from injuries sustained in the fall."

• Print
• Email
• Share