A TOTTON woman died after suffering “severe head injuries” when she fell down stairs at home, an inquest has heard.

Fiona Dovey died at Southampton General Hospital due to the injuries she suffered in the fall the previous evening.

Winchester Coroner’s Court heard 49-year-old Mrs Dovey, of Stirling Close, had been walking up the stairs with a glass of wine in her hand, meaning she was not holding on to the banister.

Her husband, Mark, said they had been watching TV and drinking, and as she went upstairs he heard bangs. Mrs Dovey was rushed to hospital, but died the following day on September 29.

Pathologist Professor James Nicholl told the inquest the her injuries included a “severe skull fracture”, and bruising across her body.

He added toxicology tests taken when Mrs Dovey arrived in hospital, around an hour after the fall, showed she was just over two-times the drink-drive limit.

The inquest also heard that she had not eaten much and was on blood-thinning medication. She had also seen doctors over spells of dizziness.

However, recording a conclusion of accidental death, senior coroner Grahame Short said he believed Mrs Dovey would have died whether or not she was on the medication.

He also said he believed “on the balance of probabilities” she fell due to a combination of reasons, including the fact she had her hand full and the effects of alcohol would have slowed her reflexes.