Window Washer Drowns In Bucket Of Water

[matcom]

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A window cleaner drowned in his bucket of suds after suddenly collapsing at work, an inquest heard.

Mark Fairhurst, of Fowler Close, Scholes, near Wigan, was found with his head in the pail he used for his rounds by the resident of the house whose windows he had been washing.

Post-mortem examination results showed that a heart condition had suddenly caused him to collapse. But the actual cause of death was by drowning because his head was submerged in the bucket's water and he was unable to save himself.

The tragedy took place last June at the home of Elizabeth Bebe in St Stephen's Close, Whelley. By the time she returned home to make the grim discovery there was nothing medics could do.

Miss Bebe said: "I got home that evening and told the kids to get ready as we were going out. I went outside to hang some washing at the back when I saw a ladder propped up against the wall.

"I then saw Mark lying on the ground motionless, with his arms tucked in and his head tilted to the right inside the bucket. It looked like he had been in that position for some time. I went to call a neighbour who then called the ambulance and the police."

She said it looked like he had fallen while standing on the ground rather than while he was up the ladder.

Family told the hearing at Bolton Coroner's Court that the 35-year-old father of one had been complaining of heart palpitations earlier in the year but he had not consulted a doctor about them.

http://www.lep.co.uk/news?articleid=2884353