A 91-year-old pensioner who had a long history of trip accidents related to his dementia died after falling at Trafford General Hospital, an inquest on Tuesday heard.

Kingston Close man Ron Hastings fell in front of nurses on April 22 having been admitted the previous day complaining of chest pains.

Despite suffering no obvious serious injury or head trauma, just hours later, widower Mr Hastings suffered a massive bleed on the brain and died.

Earlier south Manchester’s deputy coroner Joanne Kearsley had heard how Mr Hastings, a widowed father of three, required a walking frame to get about, and had a long history of trips and falls due to frequently forgetting his mobility problems because of his dementia. He had also suffered a number of small strokes and suffered from glaucoma in one eye.

On his arrival at Trafford General on April 21, the inquest heard how medical staff had categorised Mr Hastings as being a serious fall risk, and were keeping an especially close watch on him. But it was at around 11am the following day when Mr Hastings, sitting on a chair at the ward’s nursing station, attempted to stand suddenly and then fell.

Nurse Lynette Wright said: “He stood up very quickly and fell, hitting his neck.”

Medics checked Mr Hastings but apart from a graze to his neck area, was thought not to have injured himself.

However, when he was checked at 5pm he was unresponsive and unable to communicate with staff. A CT scan at 5.30pm revealed a massive bleed and he died later that night.

“In terms of my verdict today it is difficult,” said cornoer Ms Kearlsey. “Natural causes or accidental don’t do it justice. So I am going to record a short narrative verdict.

“We know the deceased often fell and had a history of falls. He was admitted to hospital where his condition led to further falls, which then caused a bleed.”