ST ALBANS: A retired company director died from severe head injuries after falling from a ladder, an inquest heard on Tuesday.

Stephen Webster, aged 54, of Townsend Drive, St Albans, died on August 7 from a large subdural and subarachnoid haemorrhage.

The inquest on Tuesday heard that Mr Webster had gone up a ladder and been on the roof, at first floor height, earlier that morning. After lunch he went back into the garden. A noise was heard from outside, and Mr Webster was discovered unconscious on the ground.

Following treatment by attending paramedics, Mr Webster was taken by air ambulance to a trauma team awaiting his arrival at the Royal London Hospital.

But a CT scan revealed that he had suffered a large haemorrhage, leaving him brain dead. Mr Webster died later that day.

Coroner Edward Thomas recorded his death as accidental. He said afterwards that Mr Webster’s death was a tragedy as he was a “very nice man.”