A PROMINENT South Lakeland politician was "feeling suicidal" before he plunged 30ft from the roof of his home, a pre-inquest review heard.

The deputy leader of Cumbria County Council, 59-year-old Jo Stephenson died on July 25 in Royal Preston Hospital - three weeks after falling from the third floor of his Windermere guest house.

At a pre-inquest review into his death, a report from a paramedic revealed Cllr Stephenson had informed her he was "feeling suicidal" when speaking after the fall on July 4.

The report detailed how the councillor, who represented Windermere on South Lakeland District Council, said he went up to the third floor of the house in Hazel Street and climbed out of a window onto the roof.

Coroner's assistant Alan Sharp said: "He was admitted to Royal Preston Hospital and diagnosed with fractures to his vertebrae and ribs, and damage to his lungs, kidney and liver.

"He had a chest ray taken of his lungs and may have been ready for discharge around July 16 but concerns over his mental state may have been the reason he wasn't."

Mr Sharp added that on July 19 the father-of-two suffered a pulmonary embolism and deteriorated further.

Between July 21 and 25 his conditioned worsened and was sedated and put on a ventilator in a critical care unit.

When sedation was withdrawn, there was an "absence of movement" on one side of his body and on July 25 treatment was withdrawn.

In a medical report the primary cause of death was said to be a pulmonary embolism - a blockage in the the blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs.

Cllr Stephenson's wife Hilary said she was "completely at ease" with the clinical reports but said there were matters in the ward manager's and paramedic's statements that were "simply not correct".

"Assumptions have been made about my husband's mental condition at the time," she said. "I want to emphasise this accident happened without any witnesses and that unfortunately my husband was in the habit of doing DIY on the outside of our house which is quite a large building."

Mr Sharp said because the fall may have "directly or indirectly" caused the embolism, he had to understand the circumstances of the fall.

The coroner's assistant said he wanted to make sure there was no "mingling" of his mental health treatment and treatment for injuries.

An inquest date is yet to be set.