A British tourist enjoying a dream round-the-world tour fell to his death from the wall an ancient Indian temple as his wife watched on in horror.
Father-of-two Roger Stotesbury, 58, had been on a year long world tour and India was their final stop before they returned home next month.
Indian police say that he had been trying to take a selfie, but a family member denies that this was the case.
They were visiting the famous Laxmi Narayan Temple at around 4.30pm on Friday when police claim Mr Stotesbury, who had earlier blogged that his motto was ‘to die young as late as possible’, went to take the picture from on the second floor.
Roger Stotesbury (right) ragically slipped from the edge of a wall of the famous Laxmi Narayan Temple (left)
This is the second floor wall from which
Mr Stotesbury was on the final leg of a dream round-the-world tour with his wife Hilary (pictured at the Taj Mahal)
The couple pictured riverboat in Melaka, Malaysia, earlier on in their travels
He was rushed to Raja Ram Hospital but died later after it is believed he broke his back in the fall.
The father-of-two was standing on the edge of a 3ft wall and angling at the camera just when his foot slipped and he plunged on to the stone floor.
Mrs Stotesbury was only feet away and rushed to his aid with officials from the temple.
Prateek Kumar, senior police officer said: ‘We understand he was trying to take a picture of himself on the wall which is only around 3 feet wide.
‘His wife Hilary was standing just 3-4 feet away from him when the incident happened.
Mr and Mrs Stotesbury, who was yards away when her husband fell, with a fellow traveller in a cafe in Central Kuala Lumpur
The couple (pictured at China’s Grand Canal), from Buckingham, had started on their travels last November
Roger and Hilary (pictured above Hong Kong) detailed their trip in a blog entitled ‘Our Middle Aged Gap Year’ Hong Kong
‘They were alone. They did not have a guide.
‘Team of doctors will conduct autopsy but initial examination tells that he died of cardiorespiratory arrest and had suffered injuries in spinal cord.’
The couple, from Buckingham, had started on their travels last November and detailed their trip in a blog entitled ‘Our Middle Aged Gap Year’.
On the blog, they wrote: ‘We are Hilary and Roger a married couple from England / Scotland who are in their mid fifties. Hilary’s motto is ‘just do it’ whilst Roger’s is ‘to die young as late as possible’.
‘We took the view that on your deathbed you never wish you’d spent more time in the office.
‘We’ve seen our two kids off into the wider world and we have no more caring responsibilities for our parents.
‘So we thought now is the time to take a gap year and travel whilst we still have the health and energy. After all you only live once.’
The couple (pictured in Kuala Lumpur) travelled across Europe, America and finally Asia
Mr Stotesbury went to take a selfie from on the second floor of the Laxmi Narayan Temple
It shows them pictured across Europe, America and finally Asia and highlights include cycling in the Atacama desert, trekking in the Amazon and visiting Graceland.
The couple had landed in New Delhi on October 9 and checked into Shish Mahal Hotel in Orchha, a popular tourist destination three days later.
Mr Stotesbury, a documentary filmmaker, posted on Tuesday: ‘Potentially our toughest travelling will be the gap year finale. Our 22nd country is a travellers’ enigma.
‘India is the stuff of dreams, colour, smells, extremes, contradictions and sacred cows.’
Officials from the British High Commission are expected to arrive later today to assist Hilary, 59, with the return of the body (couple in Hong Kong, left, and the temple, right)
Mr Stotesbury, 58, at the Jatiluwih rice terraces in Indonesia. The Foreign Office has said it is assisting his family
The father-of-two was standing on the edge of a 3ft wall and angling at the camera just when his foot slipped and he plunged on to the stone floor
On Thursday he wrote about their trip to the Taj Mahal and posted: ‘It seemed to be the perfect place to celebrate Hilary’s birthday.’
Officials from the British High Commission are expected to arrive later today to assist Hilary, 59, with the return of the body.
Inspector Azad said: ‘This is a very hard time for his wife. She is in shock so we are not asking her several questions. We are providing all our support to her.’
A Foreign Office spokesman added: ‘We are providing assistance to the family of a British man following his tragic death in India on 13 October. Our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.’