A man died in a tragic accident after tripping over a step outside his door on an evening while celebrating his new job.
Alex Murray, 31, spent the day with friends at various pubs in Blackburn, Lancashire on October 1 last year before starting a new job at Cleveleys days later.
Assistant Medical Examiner Sian Jones confirmed the accidental death for Alex, whose father also appears to have died just months earlier.
Alex’s family said he was “loved by all” and paid tribute to the “true gentleman loved by so many”.
His friend Chris McKenzie said Alex was “a true gentleman who I have known so gratefully”.
Alex Murray, 31, (pictured), from Blackburn, died in a tragic accident after tripping over a step outside his door
Alex’s family said he was “loved by all” and tributes had come for the “true Lord loved by so many”.
He added that Alex “would be missed by many, but I’m sure I can speak for everyone when I say he will never be forgotten!”
A GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses, started by Alex’s sister Vanessa, raised more than £7,000.
She wrote on the page: “This year has dealt us some serious blows and I need your help. Alex was loved by so many so let’s give him the farewell he deserves.’
After the inquest, Alex’s sister, Vanessa, told LancsLive: “He was loved by so many people.
“Everyone in Blackburn knew him and I was known as Alex’s sister even though I’m older.”
Alex’s mother added: “He was absolutely delighted with his new job. He found out earlier in the week and I can still see his face after he got the message; he was buzzing all week.”
Blackburn pubs Moorgate Arms and Fox and Hounds also held a number of fundraisers to help Alex’s family pay for the funeral, including an auction of items donated by well-known Blackburn Rovers fan Birdie
A GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses, started by Alex’s sister Vanessa, raised more than £7,000
The inquest found that Alex left the Moorgate pub around 1am in the early hours of October 2nd.
He was seen on CCTV getting into a taxi with two women.
Alex is believed to have been visiting another pub before he was seen on CCTV arriving home at 2.40am.
At 2.40am, a neighbor’s CCTV showed Alex staggering towards his home in Preston New Road, Blackburn.
He disappeared down the side of the house before being later found unresponsive by his devastated mother.
At an inquest held at Blackburn Town Hall on Thursday, Sergeant Chris Birchall of the Lancashire Constabulary, who was one of the first to the scene, said it appeared Alex had fallen or tripped next to a small step in the garden.
He said: “Alex was found lying with his head on the ground on a small step.
‘He was about two meters from the side door.
“It wasn’t possible to say exactly what happened, but it may have been a fall.”
There was no evidence of third party involvement in Alex’s death.
A postmortem CT scan revealed Alex had suffered a small subarachnoid hemorrhage, a head injury that causes bleeding in the space surrounding the brain.
He also had a fractured eye socket and toxicology tests revealed Alex was intoxicated at the time of his death and there was evidence of recent cocaine use.
Neurosurgeon Naufel Ansar was brought in to review the evidence and interpret the medical findings.
He concluded that while he couldn’t say definitively that the bleeding was the cause of death, it was a possibility.
Assistant Medical Examiner Sian Jones said: “I’m convinced he was drinking and did some cocaine, but neither were likely to be the direct cause of his death.
“However, the alcohol affected his mobility and stability and likely caused or contributed to his fall because it would have increased the risk of falls. I am convinced that what he suffered was a simple accident.’
