Man dies after fall at Ipswich Cornhill

Flowers have been left at the scene of the man's fall on Saturday

A man has died after falling down steps in a town square just weeks after new groundwork was laid in a major revamp.

John Stow, 83, slipped in the Cornhill in Ipswich while shopping on Saturday, and died from his injuries on Sunday.

His sister Vivien Pryke said the family would be looking for answers from the town's borough council.

New paving and steps were unveiled in November. The council said it was "deeply saddened" and was investigating.

Since a 10-month programme costing £3.6m was completed at the Cornhill, seven incidents have been reported to the council.

Market traders have left a note of condolence where Mr Stow fell

Lucy Young, who works on the fish stall on Ipswich Market, said she saw Mr Stow "flying off" the steps.

"It was apparent immediately that he had got a horrific head injury. He really hit the ground very, very hard," she said.

Mrs Pryke said: "It just should not have happened. Something needs to be done before it happens again."

Describing him as a "very nice, gentle man", she said the shock of her brother's death had "hit us hard", and she would be asking the council some questions.

"It's so out of the blue, and I'm still coming to terms with it," she said.

Mr Stow, of Avondale Road, had spent his entire career as a factory worker at Crane in Ipswich.

He was "able and capable" and occasionally walked with a stick, although he did not have it on Saturday, said Mrs Pryke.

A spokesman for Ipswich Borough Council said: "An investigation into the incident is already under way and we cannot comment further at this stage."

Seven incidents have been reported to Ipswich Borough Council since the Cornhill reopened