RETIRED pub landlady Pauline Evans, of March, fell only four or five steps down a railway bridge but the injuries she received killed her. What was meant to be a night out turned out to be this tragic death said Stamford coroner Gordon Ryall. Mrs Evans,

RETIRED pub landlady Pauline Evans, of March, fell only four or five steps down a railway bridge but the injuries she received killed her.

"What was meant to be a night out turned out to be this tragic death" said Stamford coroner Gordon Ryall.

Mrs Evans, 65, fell from the footbridge at Stamford station on May 26, and suffered extensive head injuries.

The inquest at Stamford Town Hall, which recorded a verdict of accidental death, heard how Mrs Evans, of Camargue Drive, had a history of arthritic problems in both knees. Her GP, Dr Eamonn Walsh, said she had back, neck and knee problems from the 30 years she had worked behind bars.

Mrs Evans arrived in Stamford at 7pm with husband Doug, daughter Lisa and her boyfriend, Marvin.

Miss Evans said: "I suggested walking over the line at the other end of the platform but she said 'no'. She never liked walking over that bridge."

Miss Evans led the way, with Mrs Evans behind, holding on to the banister rail with her left hand.

Once across Miss Evans turned and saw her mother lose her footing and grab the banister with her right hand.

"But her momentum made her fall five or six steps to the bottom," she said. "Her head banged on the platform."

An ambulance took her to Peterborough District Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 11.45pm.

Pc Andrew Roberts inspected the stairs and said they were covered in non-slip material with a white strip over the edge. But he added there was a gap of three inches at each end which was not covered.

"There is enough of a gap for a heel on certain types of shoes to get wedged," he said.

Mrs Evans was landlady of the Rose and Crown in St Peter's Road, March, with her husband Doug for 13 years. They had retired one year earlier.+, a European Community initiative.