A managing director died after falling approximately 100 feet from the roof of a funicular railway carriage while speaking to police, an inquest has been told. Mark Stephen Hill, 49, was spotted on the roof of the carriage in Bournemouth, Dorset, on June 26.
Police were called to the scene following a concern for welfare report. Officers and members of the public attempted to approach Mr. Hill before he fell to the bottom of the cliff. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:30 a.m. after sustaining multiple injuries. Dorset Police, who were in contact with Mr. Hill at the time of the incident, have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
During the incident, the beach was evacuated to allow an air ambulance to land, and a large police cordon was established for much of the afternoon. Emergency services, including ambulance, coastguard, and fire and rescue crews, responded to assist police. The Fisherman's Walk Cliff Lift area was the site of the incident.
An eyewitness on the beach described the event as "horrible," stating, "He was standing on top of the lift and then he fell." Another witness described the scene as "terrifying" and "very, very sad."
An investigation by Dorset Police determined there were no suspicious circumstances or third-party involvement in Mr. Hill's death. A post-mortem examination recorded a provisional cause of death as multiple injuries. Mr. Hill, originally from Walsall, West Midlands, was married, lived in Brighton, and worked as a managing director.
Statements have been requested from Mr. Hill's family, his GP, mental health services, Dorset Police regarding their contact with him, BCP Council staff, and other attending emergency services. The inquest opening heard that a file will be prepared for HM Coroner.
The hearing was adjourned for a pre-inquest review scheduled for January 11, 2027.
