by Anna White

A coroner told a grieving pensioner his wife’s fatal fall was a tragic accident and she is powerless to stop it from happening again.

Patricia Harding, Mid Kent and Medway coroner, heard at an inquest how Margaret Murray fell down a flight of stairs while on holiday in Spain with her husband of 62 years, Alexander.

After looking at photographs of the scene, Mrs Harding agreed with Mr Murray, of Sandling Lane, Penenden Heath, that the hotel staircase did not have a suitable handrail.

She said the grandmother-of-four’s death might have been prevented but UK laws stop her from asking a foreign hotel to make alterations.

The coroner said: “I am very sorry for the loss of your wife in these circumstances.

"Had you been in the UK when Mrs Murray’s death occurred, I would have been able to report a Rule 33 – a report designed to prevent further falls.
“I would have done such a report with a number of concerns about the staircase.”

Mr and Mrs Murray, who have three children, were enjoying the last week of their month-long trip at the Hotel Iberostar Royal Andalus, booked with Saga, when tragedy struck on Monday, February 7.

The couple were returning to their room after meeting friends for dinner when 85-year-old Mrs Murray, known as Maggie, fell and hit her head. She died two days later.

Mr Murray, 84, a retired Captain in Maidstone’s 36 Engineer Regiment, has asked Saga to install an appropriate handrail.

A spokesman for the company previously claimed the rail is sufficient and the couple would have been shown an alternative route.