A pensioner who lived in squalid conditions at the Bradford home he shared with his family, died as a result of an accident and not neglect, a coroner has ruled.

Paramedic Simon Talbot, called to 73-year-old Albert Fox’s home in Lynfield Drive, Heaton, on February 11 this year, found him in a room that looked as though it “had never been cleaned” and the area around his bed “unkempt and dirty”, an inquest in Bradford heard yesterday.

Retired textile worker Mr Fox, who lived and slept downstairs due to his poor health, shared his home with his daughter Jacqueline Lamb and grandson – Mrs Lamb, who works part-time at a school, had been his carer for seven years. The whole family had suffered coughs and chest infections before his death but Mr Fox’s condition worsened after he fell out of bed the night before he died.

In a statement read out at the inquest, his grandson Richard Lamb described finding him propped up by his bed, putting him back in and checking him over again with his mother’s help, despite his grandfather telling him not to worry.

The next day Mr Fox took a turn for the worse and that night asked his daughter to call an ambulance. When paramedics arrived they noted the state of the house and police were called.

Mr Fox was covered in faeces and had to have his clothes cut off. His health deteriorated as they worked on him and he stopped breathing after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Detective Sergeant Tim Lofthouse said during Mrs Lamb’s phone call for help, Mr Fox was heard to say he could not sit up, his grandson was also heard telling him he loved him before going out to wait for the ambulance.

The inquest heard all the rooms in the house were in a similar poor state, however the family was not involved with social services and the police investigation concluded despite the squalid living conditions, Mr Fox’s death was not considered to have been from gross neglect.

Despite his poor health he had not seen a doctor for some time but Acting Bradford Coroner Professor Paul Marks said it was by his own volition as he refused to go for medical treatment.

Summing up, Prof Marks said he was satisfied it was the fall from bed that had led to the rib and sternum fractures which contributed to Mr Fox’s demise and respiratory failure.

He told the inquest he had considered neglect as part of the verdict but he acknowledged the facts did not meet the necessary high threshold.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Prof Marks said Mr Fox had been able to talk to paramedics when they arrived and there had been no indications of assault.