A BURNHAM man died after falling down a set of nightclub stairs, an inquest heard. Jonathan Cotton, of Dyrham Close, consumed five double measures of spirits in Shakers Nightclub before appearing to race down the stairs two at a time. The 37-year-old fell

A BURNHAM man died after falling down a set of nightclub stairs, an inquest heard.Jonathan Cotton, of Dyrham Close, consumed five double measures of spirits in Shakers Nightclub before appearing to race down the stairs two at a time.The 37-year-old fell and hit his head, but refused an ambulance despite bleeding from his ear, nose and mouth. He fell twice more in the street before being taken to Weston General Hospital. He later died of his injuries.At an inquest into his death held in Bridgwater, coroner Michael Rose read a statement from Burnham PC Martin Childs, who reviewed CCTV evidence from the club.Mr Rose said: "A member of staff moved to assist Mr Cotton out of the club. As Jonathan descends the stairs he turns to say something."He seems to attempt to go down two steps at a time. At one point his leg appears to buckle and he falls a few steps down and his head crashes into the wall behind him."Paramedic Michelle Cozens and a colleague tried to take the reluctant patient to hospital.Ms Cozens said: "We almost got him into the ambulance. He said 'I'm not going' and walked up the road. We both knew he had to go to hospital, but the Patient's Charter says you can't force someone to accept treatment."Club manager at the time, George Panayi, said: "I felt the most serious injury was sustained when he fell in the street."In recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Mr Rose said: "This is a tragic case. At some stage Mr Cotton was fairly drunk. He fell down the stairs and sustained what I think was the most significant injury.