A FORMER civil servant from Windermere died in hospital after falling through a glass surface at his home.

Rowland Donnison died at the age of 89, on March 3, 2020 in Royal Preston Hospital after being taken there by air ambulance.

At an inquest held at Cockermouth Coroner's Court, a statement from his son Alan was read out.

He explained: “He had two children, Alan and Vanessa and his last occupation was as a civil servant.

“After school he took a job as a surveyor in Tanzania. Upon returning he worked as a town planner then later with the civil service.

“He lived in Windermere with his wife Shelly.”

The inquest heard how Mr Donnison had broken multiple bones falling through a glass surface, most notably his hip socket, his lumbar vertebrae, his pelvis, and a rib, as well as suffering a wound to his right arm.

In a statement from paramedic Joanne Butterworth from the North West Ambulance Service, she said that there was a discussion between them and the air ambulance crew as to whether he needed to air lifted or not.

In the end Mr Donnison was taken to Furness General Hospital for around 4pm, but was later taken to the hospital in Preston hours later where he arrived at 10pm. However, coroner Dr Nicholas Shaw did not believe this was relevant information regarding his death.

James Bourne, an orthopaedic specialist at Royal Preston Hospital issued a statement for the inquest,.

He explained that during Mr Donnison’s time there, he contracted hospital induced pneumonia as a result of his lack of mobility from the trauma in the fall his suffered.

This is what he gave as the cause of death which was accepted by the coroner.

In his conclusion, coroner Dr Nicholas Shaw said: “In summary he was becoming increasingly frail and he had a fall suffering multiple injuries that were not life threatening.

“There is a significant risk with immobilisation.

“Despite oxygen, fluids, and physiotherapy, he just did not get better.

“My conclusion is that this was a death resulting from an accident.”