A MAN died in hospital last night after falling 15ft while carrying out work on an empty building.

The man's wife was at his bedside in Darlington Memorial Hospital after he was taken there with severe injuries.

Phillip Platt, a 59-year-old from Barnard Castle, County Durham, died at about 8pm.

He suffered severe head injuries and was unconscious when he was found at the scene of the accident, in Darlington's Victoria Road.

It is thought he had been carrying out work at the back of the former Recognition PR building when he slipped and fell.

One theory is that he had balanced a ladder on top of scaffolding.

This then slipped, knocking the scaffolding over and sending him plunging to the ground.

Mr Platt would have been working about 15ft above the ground.

The accident happened at about 10am on Saturday morning.

He was found by Gaynor Bennett, of the Darlington Learning Centre, whose premises adjoin the building.

She said: "We did not actually see anything, but we heard the noise.

"He was working upstairs, and when I came out, he was on the floor and he was obviously badly hurt."

Acting Inspector Gavin Musgrave, of Darlington police, said: "This man was working alone. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident and we are not appealing for any witnesses.

"It appears to be just a tragic accident. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been out to the scene."

The accident comes a few days after the HSE issued a warning about scaffolding.

The HSE brought about a successful prosecution just before Christmas when a company was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £2,000 after scaffolding fell over in Bondgate, Darlington.