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| Is your life worth a few pennies? |
Fatal plunge window cleaner was keeping up his Cheetham Hill round for ‘pennies’ - Michael Corlett, described by friends as ‘colourful’ and ‘cheerful’, refused to give up his traditional beat but only charged customers a nominal fee. A 73-year-old retired window cleaner fell off his ladder and died after keeping up his rounds for ‘pennies’.
Michael Corlett, described by friends as ‘colourful’ and ‘cheerful’, refused to give up his traditional beat in the heart of Cheetham Hill but only charged customers a nominal fee. Tragically he plunged to his death in December last year while cleaning windows at the house of good pal Charles Daly. A coroner’s inquest heard how two passing binmen saw the pensioner fall from the first floor window of the Kenford Walk property on December 12 and raced to his aid.
Binman Paul Lyons and a colleague, along with Mr Daly and a neighbour, tried to revive the stricken pensioner. He was raced to Salford Royal but died later that evening. Piyali Pal, a consultant pathologist at Salford Royal, said the pensioner had suffered significant head and spinal injuries.
Although Mr Corlett, who lived in Harpurhey, was on blood-thinning medicine warfarin, the doctor added there was no evidence he had suffered a stroke or heart attack while on the ladder. Coroner Nigel Meadows said the veteran window cleaner’s death was the result of an accident. He added: “Sadly they were serious head injuries which weren’t survivable.”
Speaking after the inquest, friends of Mr Corlett, a single man who was not believed to have children, paid tribute. Mr Daly said: “I know he did the windows cheap after he retired. He was an obliging chap, but he’d just surprise you by popping up in your back yard. You’d turn around and he’d just be standing there.”
And another friend Jim Bradley, 85, a retired hospital porter, said: “He’d come and go as he pleased. “He was a bit of a romancer, always telling you tall tales. You were never sure what to believe. “Even after he got his pension, he’d still turn up and just charge a couple of quid, pennies sometimes. “I don't think he cared about the money.”
Binman Paul Lyons and a colleague, along with Mr Daly and a neighbour, tried to revive the stricken pensioner. He was raced to Salford Royal but died later that evening. Piyali Pal, a consultant pathologist at Salford Royal, said the pensioner had suffered significant head and spinal injuries.
Although Mr Corlett, who lived in Harpurhey, was on blood-thinning medicine warfarin, the doctor added there was no evidence he had suffered a stroke or heart attack while on the ladder. Coroner Nigel Meadows said the veteran window cleaner’s death was the result of an accident. He added: “Sadly they were serious head injuries which weren’t survivable.”
Speaking after the inquest, friends of Mr Corlett, a single man who was not believed to have children, paid tribute. Mr Daly said: “I know he did the windows cheap after he retired. He was an obliging chap, but he’d just surprise you by popping up in your back yard. You’d turn around and he’d just be standing there.”
And another friend Jim Bradley, 85, a retired hospital porter, said: “He’d come and go as he pleased. “He was a bit of a romancer, always telling you tall tales. You were never sure what to believe. “Even after he got his pension, he’d still turn up and just charge a couple of quid, pennies sometimes. “I don't think he cared about the money.”
Council responds after death of tenant who fell from top-floor window while cleaning mould-ridden flat: Dacorum Borough Council has released a statement after hearing that one of their tenants fell to his death from a top-floor flat while trying to get rid of mould. The news was revealed today at the inquest of David Vibert, who fell through the window of Leverstock Green’s nine-storey Pelham Court on October 27 last year. Herts Coroners Court heard that the 52-year-old and his dad had to wash everything with bleach to remove fungus, and get rid of a lot of David’s bedding and curtains.
He took the safety latches off his windows and left them wide open to get rid of the smell, but later fell out while redecorating in that area. Dacorum Borough Council, which owns the flat, was not represented at David’s inquest today, and this afternoon spokesman Luisa Clarke said the authority did not even know it was happening.
He took the safety latches off his windows and left them wide open to get rid of the smell, but later fell out while redecorating in that area. Dacorum Borough Council, which owns the flat, was not represented at David’s inquest today, and this afternoon spokesman Luisa Clarke said the authority did not even know it was happening.
The council has now released a statement from Fiona Williamson, from its housing landlord service. It says: “We have heard that the inquest was held today into the tragic death of Mr David Vibert last October. “Dacorum Borough Council was not asked to attend and we understand that a verdict of accidental death was recorded. First and foremost, our thoughts go out to Mr Vibert’s family and friends. “Following Mr Vibert’s fall we cooperated with the police investigation. Our housing officers also visited tenants at Pelham Court to address any concerns that they may have had. “If any of our tenants want to contact us about their properties or request a repair, they can call us on 01442 228000.”
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