A man has died after falling 20ft out of a first-storey window onto a Hackney street.

The man, who has not been named, plunged from the window in Glenarm Road, Lower Clapton, and was declared dead shortly afterwards in hospital.

Builder Sean Lofty, from Essex, witnessed the incident after arriving for work in the street last Thursday morning.

He told the Gazette: “When I pulled up at the street, a chap was leaning onto the windowsill.

“I went to get my tools, and as I was heading back I saw him falling out of the window headfirst. He dropped about 20 feet.

“He landed on the steps and I ran over to see if I could give him some first aid, which I did until the ambulance arrived, he had a broken leg and caved-in skull.”

Crews from an ambulance and helicopter air ambulance treated the man for a head injury at the scene.

The man, who has not yet been formally identified, was taken to the Royal London Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police were called to the scene at 8.30am, and at this stage are not treating the incident as suspicious.

Steve Scully who lives in Glenarm Road said the man was a well-known character in the area.

He said: “Everyone knows him, he always says hello, I’ll miss him, I pass him every day more or less,

“I always say good morning, I’ve even popped up to have a cup of tea.

“On reflection I’m not totally surprised. He’s always got his head out of the window, I’ve often told him to be careful he doesn’t fall out, he’s often leaning right out.

“It’s quite a low window, from the floor to the ledge it just comes past his knees, I have often said sit down on a chair, he frightened me sometimes.

“It’s unfortunate. He’s an ex-soldier, I don’t believe he’s got any surviving family left.”

Police are appealing for witnesses and information following the incident and anyone with any information is asked to contact 101.