A MAN died after falling from York's city walls, an inquest has heard.

Peter Tasker, 65, was visiting the city with a friend, Barry Littlefair, on December 13 last year, when he fell from the walls close to Walmgate Bar.

An inquest in New Earswick on Thursday heard the men had just eaten and were walking along the walls in single file, but when Mr Littlefair looked back, he could not see his friend.

He realised Mr Tasker had fallen about eight feet from the walls to the ground, and was not moving, so phoned the emergency services and performed CPR until paramedics and police arrived.

The inquest heard Mr Tasker was in good health, but had reported feeling slightly under the weather some time prior to his fall.

Doctor John Berridge, who treated Mr Tasker in York Hospital's intensive care unit, said tests showed he had suffered severe injuries, including fractured vertebrae, and severe hypoxic brain injury.

The "very poor" prognosis was discussed with Mr Tasker's family, and the decision was made to withdraw ventilation. Mr Tasker died just before 8am on December 17.

Alex Fletcher, health and safety advisor working for City of York Council, told the inquest the authority had not been made aware of the incident until more than a month after Mr Tasker fell, but when reviews of the wall's paths were made in January they "looked fine".

Mr Fletcher said the safety of the walls was checked regularly, and he was surprised not to have heard about such a serious incident prior to a phone call more than a month later.

Coroner Rob Turnbull concluded Mr Tasker's death was an accident. The cause of death was hypoxic brain injured, caused by cardiac arrest, caused by traumatic fracture sustained as a result of the fall.