A man slipped on ice and hit his head in an un-treated council-owned car park, an inquest has heard.

Peter John Sloover, 65, of Wyvill Close, Rainham, died in a London hospital four days after the fatal fall having suffered serious head injuries in the Cricketers car park off Orchard Street, Rainham on December 22.

He was first taken to Medway Maritime Hospital and then transferred to the Royal London Hospital.

Ian Ellis told the inquest he had seen the incident and heard a 'tremendous thud’ while he was waiting beside his car at about midday.

He said: “The whole thing was a sheet of ice and he was approaching the entrance of the car park and he just went.

“There was no grit on the ice at all. There were a lot of people slipping and weaving about in the car park."

Phil Moore, Medway Council’s head of highways and parking services, said the car park was a secondary parking area for visitors to the town and that due to council priorities it was untreated until the emergency services, who helped Mr Sloover, requested the council do so.

Coroner Roger Sykes recorded a verdict of accidental death caused by severe head injuries.