Derby Coroner's Court opened the inquest into the death of Liam Adkins, who was found collapsed on the side of the road in the early hours of last Tuesday morning.

At the opening on Monday DC Peter Freeman said Liam's injuries were consistent with a 20 to 30 ft fall. Coroner Robert Hunter is now compiling all the evidence and will decide how he fell to his death at the full inquest.

Ilkeston milkman Fred Parker thinks he saw Liam about an hour before he was found and taken to hospital. He said he saw a man with blood on his face on Chalons Way during his rounds at about 2.30am.

He said: "I saw him near the bridge. He had blood on his face so I stopped the float and asked if I could help him in any way, but he said he was alright. I said I would phone for the police or an ambulance.

"I drove off about 20 yards up the road and looked back at him and he had just sat down with his back against the wall so I reversed back to him, and I said 'look I've got my phone.'

I actually pressed 999, but he said no again. He just didn't want the help. I said 'look I'm going to ring for an ambulance' and he got up and walked off.
"He was holding the side of his face. He didn't stumble, he was walking. When he sat down he just slid down, he didn't fall down.

"He had a lovely white jumper on, there was no blood on that. He was a smart lad, good looking with dark hair. I wanted to help him.

"I feel awful I didn't ring the police. It really upset me until an officer came to see me. I was nearly in tears to be honest. To think the poor bloke has died and I might have been able to save him."

Mr Parker, 62, said a work colleague of his also thought he saw Liam walking about at the bottom of Chalons Way as he drove past at about 3am.

Liam, who lived on Hallam Fields Road in Ilkeston, was found still conscious on the pavement cobbles where Chalons Way meets Station Road at 3.30am.

A man on his way to work spotted him and rang for an ambulance. He was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham but tragically died later that morning.