‘Jet-lagged’ Kinks bassist died after falling down stairs

 The Kinks bassist Jim Rodford died after falling down stairs while jet-lagged when he returned from a US tour, an inquest heard.

The 76-year-old musician, who also played with the Zombies, had been drinking before he was found by his wife on the stairs of their detached house in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

He was found in his dressing gown on January 20 this year with his head against a wall and his feet pointing at the stairs.

Geoffrey Sullivan, the Hertfordshire coroner, concluded the death was accidental after he found that Mr Rodford most likely slipped. Mr Sullivan said: “The injuries he sustained were consistent with him hitting his head. There does not appear to be anything suspicious about the death.

“He was jet-lagged and had had a few drinks.”

A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was acute left ventricular failure, caused by a head injury combined with alcohol intoxication.