THE death of a former ­Scotland rugby sevens player who fell from an apartment block came as a "total shock" to his family, his inquest has heard.

Former Sale Sharks ­back-row forward David Tait, 25, died from multiple injuries following the ­incident in Hong Kong in December 2012.

Mr Tait was enjoying a "happy, normal life" and worked as a corporate finance adviser for multinational firm KPMG when he fell from Harbourview Horizon All Suite Hotel.

His mother Diane told the hearing at Stockport Coroner's Court that she last spoke to her son on Skype four days before his death.

She confirmed he seemed happy on their last chat, had no personal problems and was financially secure.

She said the death was"a total shock" to all the family.

Mrs Tait said her son was "obviously devastated" when his father Campbell Tait, a judge, was found hanged in the garage of the family home in Sale in 2004.

His girlfriend, Anne McManus, said Mr Tait had been upset on his 25th birthday when looking at pictures of his father and at the death earlier in the year of a former team-mate - understood to be Sale Sharks player Selorm Kuadey, who reportedly took his own life.

She believed Mr Tait's fall was an act of "momentary impulse after holding in his emotions for a long time".

But his family said he would have discussed any problems with them.

The hearing was told that Mr Tait had no health issues, had not threatened suicide previously and had not left a note or a will.

A post-mortem examination showed no alcohol or drugs in his system.

Mr Pollard said he could not be sure that Mr Tait fell deliberately or that it was an accident. With insufficient evidence, he recorded an open verdict.