BOSSES at a Bournemouth Wetherspoon say 'there's nothing wrong with stairs to the gents' toilets' after a man was fatally injured, and two others were seriously hurt, in a series of falls.

Since June, three men have been badly hurt at the Christopher Creeke in Holdenhurst Road.

In the early hours of Sunday, February 23, a man in his 40s from Bradford went into cardiac arrest after falling at the pub.

Paramedics rushed him to Poole Hospital. However, he died shortly after his arrival at the hospital.

In early June, a man was airlifted to hospital with serious head injuries after plunging down the stairs. He was critically ill for some weeks afterwards, and it is understood he still hasn't fully recovered.

And in August last year, Colin Hayes, 61, suffered a bleed to the brain in a fall at the pub.

"I don't remember a thing about it," he said.

"All I can remember about it is waking up in hospital. I had three bleeds on the brain.

"It's had a huge impact on me. I still need help and get dizzy.

"I went back to the pub to talk to them about it and one member of staff just said to me, 'You'd been drinking on that day'.

"I'd had a couple of pints, but I definitely wasn't drunk.

"I feel like I was fobbed off, really. It's just awful to hear somebody in his 40s has died. I just don't want anyone to go through that or get hurt there ever again."

Mr Hayes said he believes his weight may have been the reason he wasn't more seriously injured.

"I think that, because I am a bit bigger, my weight probably saved my life. My stomach got in the way and stopped me falling straight on my head," he said.

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “A company representative met with environmental health officers from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council on Tuesday,

“This was in order to review the stairs which lead down to the gents' toilets at the pub.

“They stated that in their opinion no offences had been committed, and therefore no enforcement action was required as there was no risk to the public.

“This means that no defects were found on the stairs, with the hand rail or in the level of light.

“As a result of the two incidents last year the stairs were assessed, at Wetherspoon’s request, by an expert from the Health and Safety Executive.

“While we are still waiting for the final report no issues were raised from the initial assessment.”

However, a spokesperson from the BCP Council said their investigation continues.

"The council has visited the premises and met with a company representative this week," the official said.

"At this time we are awaiting further information and therefore the investigation remains ongoing.”