A father plunged 40ft to his death after slipping from his son’s grasp in a freak accident.

Businessman Chris Riley, 43, died after trying to jump between balconies at their hotel.

His son Nicky, 23, managed to grab hold of his father and tried to cling on to him.

But he slipped from his fingers and fell 40ft from the third floor balcony as Nicky watched in horror.

Mr Riley ran the Sussex family firm Rileys Scaffolding.

His father David, 71, is a Freemason and they were staying at the plush Sandbanks Hotel in Poole, Dorset, at the weekend.

Mr Riley's wife Clair, 40, said a group of family and friends were there for an annual ladies weekend organised by the Freemasons.

She said: “He went up to our room at about 2.30am on Sunday to get some more money.

“He couldn't get in and went into Nicky's room to see if there had been a mix-up with the keys.

“He decided to jump from that balcony to the one outside our room to see if he could get in that way.

“Our son Nicky was there when he did it but Chris slipped.

“Nicky managed to grab him but he couldn't hold on. Chris slipped from his grasp and fell.”

Mrs Riley said her husband, who ran his business from Gossamer Lane, Bognor, was a fun-loving man who adored his family.

They have two more sons Kris, 15, and Louis,18, and two grandchildren who were born on Christmas Eve last year.

Mr Riley, a keen golfer and sportsman, had another son Damien, 23, who lives in Canterbury, Kent.

He had been a scaffolder all his working life, and set up Riley's a year ago after the family moved to Pagham from Mitcham, Surrey, four years ago.

Mrs Riley said: “We have family down here and had a caravan on the Church Farm site.

“It was a natural thing for us to decide to move down here a few years ago.”

Dorset Police confirmed officers were called to the hotel early on Sunday morning.

A spokesman said: “There are no suspicious circumstances.

“This appears to have been a tragic accident and we are making inquiries on behalf of the coroner.”

An inquest was opened and adjourned in Bournemouth on Monday.

A post mortem recorded the cause of death as multiple injuries.

Susan Hyder, financial controller of Sandbanks Hotel, said: “We would like to express our sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased for his loss of life in such tragic circumstances.”

Mr Riley's funeral is expected to take place at Pagham Church on Friday next week. (18th) The service will be followed buy burial at Bognor cemetery in Chalcroft Lane.

Floral tributes are requested through Reynolds funeral directors, Bognor, on 01243 864745.