A WIFE turned to kiss her husband goodnight, only to find him lying dead at the bottom of the stairs.

After watching snooker on television Leslie and Pauline Turner made their way upstairs to bed at their Akers Way, Moredon home.

After reaching the top of the stairs in their stair-lift Mrs Turner always kissed her husband goodnight, but on this occasion he was not there.

Mrs Turner, in a written statement, told the inquest: "I just saw two legs at the bottom of the stair. There was no sound."

Leslie Turner was 81 when he died in October.

A post-mortem report showed heart disease was likely to have caused Mr Turner to collapse and fall downstairs.

He died from head and neck injuries caused by the fall.

The coroner David Masters recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said: "Mr Turner was suffering from heart disease. He may have had a turn at the top of the stairs, where he and his wife normally kissed goodnight.

"She did not see him fall, but fall he clearly did."