A RETIRED head teacher died from natural causes before a fire engulfed his home, an inquest was told.

Roy Nelson, 75, died in his home on Holford Way, Newton-le-Willows on the evening of Sunday, December 14.

The hearing at St Helens Town Hall was told that Mr Nelson, a former head of Brookfield High in Kirkby and magistrate, had fallen at the time of his death and that this had inadvertently caused the fire to start.

A gas appliance was found to have been switched on as the blaze broke out.

The inquest heard that neighbours had discovered a fire at his property and alerted emergency services after making unsuccessful attempts to enter the building.

Shortly before 9pm firefighters arrived and extinguished the blaze which caused considerable damage to the property.

An investigation into the fire found that it started on the ground floor.

Candles and electrical appliances were in the room but they were found to have been unlikely to have caused the fire and there was no evidence it had been started deliberately.

Coroner Christopher Sumner concluded: “There was a fire although this appears to have played no part in his death. Therefore I give a verdict of natural death.”