A RETIRED deputy head of the National Railway Museum died after a fall down stairs an inquest has heard.

Peter Semmens, 79, died on March 4 last year after a fall at his home in Springfield Road, Upper Poppleton, two days earlier.

He was the last survivor of four key figures responsible for setting up the National Railway Museum in 1975 and became know worldwide for his role in making the museum a success from its opening. He retired in 1987.

The inquest on Wednesday was told that Mr Semmens had been suffering from Alzheimer's Disease at the time of the fall and was being cared for by his wife, Barbara.

She knew at the time that he had mobility problems and so made a point of walking in front of him whenever he had to go down stairs so as to stop him from falling. But on this occasion he did fall and she was unable to stop him from then falling to the floor. He suffered a cut to his head and was taken to York Hospital, but died two days later of complications. York coroner Donald Coverdale heard that Mr Semmens also broke some vertebrae in the accident and as well as dementia also had atheroma in his arteries, both of which would have made him unsteady on his feet.

Because of his broken vertebrae, Mr Semmens was unable to move in his hospital bed and went on to develop broncho-pneumonia which was the ultimate cause of his death.

Mr Coverdale recorded a verdict of accidental death.