A former bookmaker’s assistant died after he tripped and banged his head while on holiday in Spain, an inquest heard.

William Smith tripped on a paving stone while he was on holiday in Malaga with family. The 77-year old, from Smethwick, died at Carlos Haya Hospital on December 16, 10 days after his fall, the hearing at Smethwick Coroner’s Office was told.

Speaking afterwards, his sister Stella Rourke and brother John Smith paid tribute to a “wonderful brother” and keen angler.

“He will be be sadly missed by lots of friends and family,” said Mrs Rourke.

“He loved his angling, and he did it everywhere he could. He was a member of two local clubs.”

The inquest was told that Mr Smith, who suffered from diabetes and walked with the use of a cane, had enjoyed two pints of beer in the afternoon with his sister, his brother and his sister-in-law Mary Smith.

Mrs Smith said: “We were just going back to the apartment where we were staying. Quite a few of the slabs where we were walking were broken.

His foot tripped, and he went into a run to stop himself falling.

“He ran quite a few steps before he actually went down. He was unconscious for about five minutes.”

Mrs Rourke said the fall happened outside a Red Cross ambulance station which was closed at the time.

Mr Balmain, who ruled the death as an accident, said the hospital had attributed the cause to head trauma and pneumonia.

Mr Smith leaves behind two brothers and three sisters. His funeral will be at Sandwell Crematorium on January 10 at 2.30pm.