AN elderly Halesowen man died of coronavirus after being admitted to hospital following a fall, an inquest was told.

Dennis Bate, aged 81, passed away on April 1 at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley after being admitted on January 29 after falling at his home in Queen Street.

Mr Bate, a retired grinder who was suffering from vascular dementia, type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis, suffered a broken hip in the fall which required surgery.

He was very frail and after the operation he developed a cough and tested positive for COVID-19. His condition deteriorated and he passed away on April 1.

Area coroner for the Black Country, Joanne Lees, told Black Country Coroners Court that the cause of Mr Bate's death was frailty of old age, contributed to by vascular dementia, the hip fracture and COVID-19 and she said: "It's clear a fall at home resulted in a traumatic injury leading to surgery and a period of immobility - leading to the development of respiratory infection which resulted in Mr Bate's deterioration and subsequent death."

She told the inquest hearing on Monday April 6 that it's believed Mr Bate fell in the living room at his home.

She added: "He suffered with dementia and at nighttime, as soon as lights went out, he became agitated and tended to walk around."

Mr Bate had suffered falls previously - all attributed to his dementia, she said, and he had ended up in hospital due to the latest incident. The coroner added: "Were he not in hospital as a result of the fall its unlikely he would have passed away on April 1. The fall has contributed to his death."

She concluded "a fall contributed to a natural cause death" and offered her "since condolences to the family of Mr Bate".