The accidental death of a world-renowned artist has prompted a coroner to make a warning about the dangers of misusing solvents.

Shipley-based artist Govinder Nazran, 44, died from head injuries suffered when he collapsed in Saltaire on Christmas Eve two years ago.

He was seen staggering and twitching before the fall, in which he suffered unsurvivable brain injuries.

Yesterday a Bradford inquest heard how Mr Nazran, who lived with his wife and 15-year-old daughter in Victoria Park, Shipley, had begun having epileptic-type fits and turned to drink after a personality change, which his family blamed on a varnish he sprayed on his oil paintings.

Mr Nazran’s widow Sarah Welton described how her “charming man” had changed, and had become paranoid and forgetful as though he had dementia. He complained of headaches, and would feel cold and nauseous after using the varnish.

He used the product – Brasslac – in a confined upstairs room, wearing a dust mask not suitable for that type of product, the inquest heard.

A pattern then began to emerge of him having seizures. His widow said Mr Nazran was in denial at first, but then got medication, although he took it sporadically because he said it dulled his senses and reduced his creativity.

His wife said she threw away all the Brasslac in his studio and he did not get any more, but his health got worse and his drinking increased.

He died on December 30, 2008, in intensive care at Bradford Royal Infirmary, six days after falling.

Pathologist Andrew Goldsbrough said Mr Nazran’s widow’s evidence had been “compelling” and the timeline of events had been very important.

“The history of the effect of the solvent is of relevance in terms of the underlying cause of his death,” he said.

Coroner Roger Whittaker accepted the head injuries as the cause of death but said: “The underlying cause was two-fold – the chronic damage from the volatile solvent and the acute effect of the alcohol intake contributed to that final fit and fall.”

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Whittaker stressed that Mr Nazran had used the Brasslac wrongly.

He warned: “People using this product and similar products must be extremely careful. They must read the instructions and take precautions.”

Mr Nazran’s work was particularly popular in America and in Japan.

He moved to Bradford as a child and studied graphic design at Bradford Art College. He became a full-time artist in 1999. Many of his paintings are considered collectables, featuring images of cartoon dogs and cats.