A SELF-employed plasterer is believed to have suffered from heart problems before falling to his death from scaffolding in Rawtenstall.

Fifty-six year-old Andrew Ormerod plunged 12 ft from a scaffolding tower while undertaking repointing work at the home of Peter Medlin in Linden Lea, Burnley Coroner's Court was told.

East Lancashire coroner Richard Taylor said he was initially concerned, on first reading the papers regarding Mr Ormerod's death, when he was shown photos of smooth-soled shoes he was wearing at the time.

But consultant pathologist Dr Walid Salman said the deceased was suffering from significant narrowing of his arteries and may have suffered heart problems.

Dr Salman said: “Clearly more stress was put on his heart, which was already struggling to pump blood around the body.

This could have caused some arrhythmia of the heart.”

The inquest also heard that it had been a fine day, when Mr Ormerod arrived to carry out the building work with colleague Eugene Gibbons at Mr Medlin's home on June 26.

An ambulance was immediately called and Mr Ormerod, of Haslingden Road, Rawtenstall, was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital. But he was pronounced dead on arrival.

His family later discovered that he had been taking warfarin .

It had also been recommended by his doctors that he had a pacemaker fitted, the inquest heard.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Coroner Mr Taylor said: “This was clearly an experienced man who would have known that he had to be careful on scaffolding.

“It would seem that he did require some kind of pacemaker.

“He could well have had an episode on top of the scaffolding, which led to this fall.”