ALCOHOL has been blamed for the death of a much-loved grandfather who fell down the stairs of a Toothill pub and broke his neck after spending the day drinking with his son.

Raymond Downing, 63, had drunk around ten to 15 pints of Guinness on October 7 before he stumbled down three steps and hit his head twice on brick tiled flooring, an inquest has heard. He died three days later in hospital.

The widower of Liz, who died from cancer in 2010, had been at Harvester in West Swindon from midday with friends and his son, also called Raymond, before getting a taxi at 3pm to The Village Tavern.

It was there at around 10pm he lost his balance and fell backwards on his head and became unconscious. His son and other pub-goers, who were also heavily intoxicated, attempted to pick him up but they lost their grip and he fell again.

Mr Downing was taken to Great Western Hospital but then transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford with a life-threatening head trauma. Doctors said he needed surgery but he might not recover as he had been paralysed from the arms down.

Meanwhile not realising the severity of his father's injuries, Mr Downing’s son walked to his dad’s house in Beaulieu Close thinking he was in bed asleep. But when he arrived the door was locked so he smashed open the window to get inside.

Neighbours heard the commotion after midnight and called police who arrested the 36-year-old from Wales on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm to his father.

The pub was taped off by officers and forensically examined, but after an investigation by Swindon's criminal investigation department, CCTV cameras showed Mr Downing had stumbled and lost his balance by himself while his son was at the bar. Mr Downing junior was released without charge after a senior police investigator ruled there was no suspicious circumstances.

A statement given to police by Mr Downing's son, who did not attend the inquest, was read to the court by assistant coroner for Swindon and Wiltshire Peter Hatvany.

It said he had a hazy recollection of what happened and all he could remember was seeing his father at the foot of the stairs surrounded by paramedics.

Because of his extensive head injuries and spinal cord damage, Mr Downing chose not to have surgery and requested to be moved to the Great Western Hospital so his family could be with him when he died.

Concluding the inquest, Mr Hatvany said: “My conclusion is one of an accidental death, albeit from excessive alcohol consumption. Raymond Downing fell backwards as a result of being intoxicated at The Village Tavern Public House.

“He landed on his head on a brick tiled area. Other intoxicated pub-goers and his son attempted to pick him up but they lost grip.

“The deceased had been drinking heavily and had ten to 15 pints of Guinness. He declined surgical treatment and died on Saturday, October 10 from respiratory arrest."