Actor Andy Devine, who starred as Shadrach Dingle on Emmerdale for 10 years, died after an accidental fall, a coroner has said.

The soap star, whose real name was Peter Devine, appeared to have “lost his balance resulting in a fall” and died in Southport Hospital in Merseyside on January 27 this year.

A statement from Sefton Senior Coroner Julie Goulding said: “He was unable to get up until his carers arrived to assist him which was about an hour later.

“Peter had a significant number of serious underlying clinical co-morbidities and not withstanding all appropriate care and treatment, Peter’s condition deteriorated culminating in his death.”

The medical cause of his death was determined as “hospital acquired pneumonia” and the cause of his death was concluded as “accident”, the coroner added.

Irish actor Liam O’Brien, who played Ethan Blake in Emmerdale for three years, said: “Heartbroken to hear of the passing of an old friend.

“Even sadder that he passed in January and never knew. I was by the sea now when heard the news and Andy Devine was a sailor through and through.

“Gods rest ye pal. Second star to the right. Straight on ‘til morning.”

Similarly, Four Lives actor Daniel Jillings said: “Such sad news! Often thought about Andy, he was my first drama teacher and a great one. A character both on and off screen.”

Devine, who was 79, first made his Emmerdale appearance as beloved character Shadrach Dingle, father of Chas and husband of Faith, in 2000.

He made a dramatic exit from the ITV show in 2010 after his character was killed off as part of an alcohol abuse storyline.

His other TV roles have included playing Bernard Thomas in Channel 4’s Queer As Folk, a Draconian Guard in Doctor Who and a stint on Coronation Street as photographer Jason Ross in 1960.