A “successful” man died after falling down a flight of stairs at a hotel in Poland, an inquest has heard.

David Haydock, of Bolton, died aged 64 at The Provincial Hospital in Bielsko-Biala on October 19.

Bolton Coroners Court heard how Mr Haydock worked as a health and safety consultant for a Polish company in Ellesmere Port and was in the country for a work celebration anniversary.

He had previously worked as a director at property company Urban Splash and had been the head of multiple construction firms, having started his career as a bricklayer.

Coroner Professor Dr Alan P Walsh said: “He was someone who worked hard and was obviously highly respected due to the positions he held.”

Deborah Haydock, his ex-wife that he had rekindled a relationship with, detailed the death of her partner.

Mr Haydock flew out to Poland on October 14, the day of the party.

He attended the party, leaving between 8.30pm and 9pm after expressing his tiredness to a colleague.

While climbing the four flights of stairs from the restaurant in the basement to his hotel room, Mr Haydock fell.

He was found by the hotel receptionist and emergency services were called.

The following morning, Ms Haydock received a “strange” message on her phone, telling her that Mr Haydock had been in an accident in Poland, leaving him “seriously injured”.

She and their two sons, Joshua and Adam Haydock, flew to Poland but he died on October 19 at the hospital.

Prof Walsh said: “He seems to have died on October 19 but there was a delay in you being told.

“That is just not acceptable, particularly when you had gone to Poland as a family to be with him.”

Pathologist Dr Patrick Waugh gave Mr Haydock’s medical cause of death as an acute brain bleed, caused by a fractured base of skull.

A Polish police report said that the CCTV footage “revealed David Haydock, while alone at 8.49pm, fell down stairs after a loss of balance”.

It said the death was an accident, with no third party involvement.

Prof Walsh concluded Mr Haydock’s death as having been accidental.

He said: “To the family I’m very sorry. I’m sorry that you have all been back together as a family and six months later he goes to Poland, you expect him to come back and he doesn’t.

“From that, sadness and then distress added to what you experienced in Poland.

“I’m very, very sorry for Mr Haydock’s death. He was a successful man. It’s always the case of such an innocuous fall the end of a celebratory event that has led to his death.”