A RETIRED tool maker died following a fall at his home in Marchwiel, an inquest heard.

John Ernest Stace died at his home address in Marcella Crescent on October 18. He was 85.

Resuming an inquest into his death at the Guildhall in Wrexham, Joanne Lees, assistant coroner for North Wales (East and Central), said Mr Stace who lived at home with his wife Audrey had been discovered at the bottom of the stairs.

An ambulance was called and when crews arrived Mr Stace was already in cardiac arrest.

Despite the efforts of paramedics to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement read by the assistant coroner, his daughter Lynne Annette Manuel explained Mr Stace was a father-of-three who was born in Southampton.

He was a retired tool maker and had held various engineering positions throughout his career, including working for Rolls Royce.

Mr Stace was born with a club foot, the inquest heard, and his mobility had been deteriorating in the 12 months preceding his death.

He had been taking medication for high blood pressure and his walking had become slow and laboured.

A post-mortem examination carried out by Dr Mark Atkinson concluded the cause of Mr Stace's death was a chest injury.

Mrs Lees, who concluded an accidental death, said there had been "lethal damage" to his chest structures which had also caused haemorrhaging.