THE death of a well-known ex-footballer from Banbury found unconscious while on holiday with friends was an accident, a post-mortem examination showed today.

Malcolm Davenport, 50, was found in a street with severe head injuries while in Blackpool at the weekend and later died.

Police are treating his death as an accident after a post-mortem examination in Liverpool today showed the injuries were not consistent with an assault.

Mr Davenport was a well-known local footballer in the Banbury area who played for Easington Sports Youth, Sinclair United and Holland Rangers.

He was an electrician and moved to Banbury with his family in the late 1960s.

He was visiting Blackpool as part of a reunion of former regulars at the Wheatsheaf pub in George Street, Banbury.

Ronnie Johnson, caretaker manager of Easington Sports, played football with Mr Davenport.

He said: "Malcolm was a good footballer and though I did not see much of him in recent years, I am very sad to hear of his death."

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: "This was a tragic accident. It looks like he had a fall and banged his head and died as a result of his injuries.

"We are still appealing for information but no witnesses have come forward to suggest there had been an assault."

Earlier this week, police investigating the death had described the injuries as a mystery.

Mr Davenport was found unconscious in Coronation Street, Blackpool, in the early hours of Saturday.

He had last been seen with friends as they left the Rose and Crown Pub in Blackpool shortly after midnight.

After he was discovered, he was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, but was later transferred to the Royal Preston Hospital where he was put on a life-support machine but died on Monday.