Ian Orrow, 51, of Hawthorn Way, Thetford, suffered multiple skull fractures and subarachnoid haemorrhaging as a result of the fall at his home on February 13 this year.

A post-mortem examination found he had 501 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.

Coroner William Armstrong said: "He had consumed a very substantial amount of alcohol at the time of his death."

Mr Orrow had a team leader role at a Thetford industrial estate.

His colleague Wendy Cook gave evidence at the inquest and said she called at his house at 1pm on February 13.

She said: "I walked in and called his name out. When I pushed the inner door open there was Ian lying at the bottom of the stairs."

She then called 999.

Mr Orrow's partner of eight years, Tina Down, said she received a call from Mr Orrow at 11.30pm the day before to say goodnight, but that in the morning he did not answer the telephone.

Although Mr Armstrong said Mr Orrow was found to be six times the legal drink drive limit at the time of his death, Miss Down said he wasn't drunk when she saw him at 9.30pm the day before.

The inquest heard a statement by Pc Peter Warby who described finding Mr Orrow at the bottom of the stairs and there was also a report by the community alcohol and drugs service detailing the help he was getting, which was not read out.

The post-mortem examination also found Mr Orrow had pancreatic necrosis and cirrhosis of the liver, which was linked to alcoholism.

Mr Armstrong said he had 'clearly fallen down the stairs' and recorded a verdict of accidental death as a result of a fall.