'Grossly obese' man weighing 40stone who only ate burgers and pies died when he fell out of his chair and couldn't get back up

Samuel Cann had to be hoisted by fire crews after he slipped from his chair

Paramedics discovered pressure sores and ulcers requiring treatment

Mr Cann also suffered from tissue-swelling condition lymphoedema

He was taken to hospital but refused treatment and died six days later

Corone r records verdict of death by natural causes aggravated by self-neglect

A 40st man who lived on a diet of burgers and pies died after he fell out of his chair and was unable to lift himself back up, an inquest has heard.

Fire crews were called to hoist Samuel Cann, 35, following the fall, leading to paramedics discovering he had developed pressure sores and ulcers which required medical treatment



'Grossly obese' Mr Cann was carried by firefighters from his home in Stone, Staffordshire, into a waiting ambulance in which he was taken to nearby University Hospital North Staffordshire.

Samuel Cann, pictured with his wife Jody, died in hospital six days after he fell out of his armchair

Mr Cann, who also suffered from tissue-swelling condition lymphoedema, refused emergency treatment and died six days later.

An inquest yesterday heard how t he cause of death was recorded as 'sepsis due to infected ulcers and sores and obesity'.

The court heard how Mr Cann lived in the chair he had fallen out of on February 14 this year.

The former factory worker - whose weight ballooned due to his diet of fatty foods - had even refused stomach surgery to help him lose weight.

His size meant he had been forced to quit his job at the age of 28 because his hefty frame made it impossible for him to walk and dress himself.

Widow Jody, 34, told the court Mr Cann was a stubborn man who had refused medical help for his weight problem.

Fire crews were called to hoist Mr Cann after he slipped from the chair he spent 24 hours a day in at his home in Stone, Staffordshire

She said: 'I went to sleep on February 13 and woke up about 9am the next day to Samuel shouting my name.

'He had slipped off his chair and was sitting on the floor on his bottom.

'Me and Sam often used to have arguments because I always wanted to call for medical help for him.

'He was housebound so the doctors had to come to us, but he was reluctant to have medical treatment.

'He was told he was the perfect candidate to have his stomach stapled but he refused to have the operation. He was a very stubborn man.'

Family GP Dr Souvrik Chakraborty, of Mansion House Surgery, in Stone, said: 'He was grossly obese.

'He was seen by one of my colleagues who was trying to encourage him to lose weight.

'He had been referred to a dietician in 2007 but he gradually became housebound because his obesity was so severe.

'He also had lymphoedema and swollen legs, but the heart of the issue was Mr Cann's obesity. If that could have been solved, the rest of the problems would have subsided.

'The one way Mr Cann could have helped himself would have been to improve his diet and have surgery for his obesity.

'He also could have done more exercise and looked after the state of the room he lived in. The root cause here is obesity.'

'Me and Sam often used to have arguments because I always wanted to call for medical help for him. He was housebound so the doctors had to come to us, but he was reluctant to have medical treatment'

- Samuel Cann's widow Jody



Recording a verdict of death by natural causes aggravated by self-neglect, assistant Staffordshire coroner Margaret Jones, said Mr Cann's obesity had led to his death.

She said: 'From quite a young man, Mr Cann had many problems with his weight and his obesity and it is that obesity that led from one thing to another.

'His living conditions were not ideal and in order to improve his health and his lifestyle he would have had to make some significant lifestyle changes, but he wasn't willing to make those.