A RETIRED photographer suffering from Multiple Sclerosis suffered severe burns in a freak accident in a bath at his Poole home.

Derek King tripped as he was getting out of the shower, falling into the bath and accidentally turning on the hot tap at the same time, a Bournemouth inquest heard.

Dorset Coroner Rachael Griffin was told Mr King, 71, of Holcombe Road, Upton took between five and 10 minutes to get out of the bath due to his condition.

He was not aware of the severity of his injuries initially and went to bed, the inquest was told.

But he awoke in severe pain in the early hours of the following morning and called an ambulance.

The inquest was told that the accident took place at around 7pm on July 30 last year.

He was taken to a burns unit at Salisbury Hospital but medical staff there decided his condition was so complex that he needed to be transferred to a regional burns centre at Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

Mr King was treated for severe burns to 35 per cent of his total body surface but died in hospital on August 14.

Mrs Griffin was told the cause of his death was multi-organ failure, due to severe burs, with a contributory factor of Multiple Sclerosis.

The inquest, which took place at the coroner's court at Bournemouth Town Hall, heard that Mr King was a retired photographer and librarian who was born in London.

He was married to Janet for 45 years and was involved in charity work in Kenya. He also created short films.

Multiple Sclerosis affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of symptoms including problems with muscle movement, balance and vision.

Mrs Griffin concluded that Mr King died as the result of an accident.