Pensioner died after fall

AN ACTIVE elderly man from Heathfield died five days after falling off his garden wall, an inquest heard.

Johnie Harris, 90, was found dead at home in Pages Hill by his son John, with whom he had lived for the last two years, on July 31 this year. A post mortem the following day revealed a large tear in his liver that had been oozing blood for up to five days, the coroner was told.

John Harris had been the sole carer of his father at home. As he was still relatively mobile and a keen gardener, Johnie would always make an effort to sit outside when the weather permitted. His working life had extended to the age of 80, but at 86 he had a stroke which impeded his speech.

Five days before his death, Mr Harris had been sitting on a loose section of wall by some steps in the garden while his son prepared lunch inside. When he tried to swivel round onto the steps, the unfastened slab slipped away and Mr Harris was thrown to the floor.

Able to block the fall with his arm, there was little sign of injury on the outside of his body apart from some bruising that his son noticed on the following mornings while washing and shaving his father. Mr Harris refused to see a doctor.

According to Dr Jane Mercer, who carried out the post mortem on Mr Harris, it is possible to rupture internal organs like the liver without a hint of external injury. She added that internal injuries often 'seep blood slowly over long periods, unlike flesh wounds.

The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.