A DAD-OF-FOUR who died suddenly at home had a fractured skull and a blood clot on the brain after hitting his head, an inquest heard.

David Giles, 33, was found by neighbours collapsed at the top of his stairs in London Road, Westcliff, at about 7pm on Saturday, August 20.

An inquest into his death opened at Chelmsford Coroner’s Court yesterday.

Area coroner Eleanor McGann said: “David Giles was discovered at the top of a flight of stairs outside his home.

“He was slumped over whilst sat on the stairs. An ambulance was called and life was pronounced extinct by paramedics.

“A post-mortem examination was carried out and the provisional cause of death was given as acute subdural haematoma and a skull fracture.”

David’s devastated family said the cause of death provided “some comfort.”

Stepdad Paul Giles, who adopted David when he was four-years-old, said: “It’s some comfort knowing that he didn’t suffer. The coroner said he wouldn’t have known anything about it at all.”

Mum Tina, 61, of Lyndhurst Road, Corringham, said: “I went to see David and it just looked like he was asleep. There was just a slight graze on his head.

“I have heard from friends that he might have hit his head at a pillar in the pub, but we don’t know.”

David was born in Dagenham and later moved to Pitsea, where he attended Chalvedon School, which closed in 2009.

Police ruled there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

A full inquest will be held on Thursday, October 6.