A MUM-of-two died from severe brain damage after a fall, an inquest heard.

Burnley Magistrates Court heard Susan Elizabeth Sanderson had an unexpected fall outside her house in Barrowford and died from her injuries three weeks later at Royal Preston Hospital.

The fall came when she returned to her home, on Nora Street, after a night out with her partner.

Stewart Nicholas, Ms Sanderson's partner, was attempting to use the front door key to get into the house when the 61-year-old woman fell and hit her head on the ground shortly after 1am on April 7.

The hearing heard no one saw her fall and when Mr Nicholas turned around he saw his partner lying on the ground outside their home.

A crowd of people gathered outside the front of the house before paramedics arrived and rushed the Barrowford mum to Royal Blackburn Hospital.

One of the paramedics was told that Ms Sanderson had drunk some alcohol but that this had not had an effect on her.

When Ms Sanderson arrived at hospital, doctors discovered she had suffered internal bleeding to the brain and severe bruising to her head.

She was later sent to Royal Preston Hospital for an operation to release the pressure in her skull but the court heard Ms Sanderson never recovered from her injuries.

Ms Sanderson, who spent her life caring for people and animals, died at the Fulwood hospital on April 28.

The court heard she had a long history of suffering significant head injuries from falls.

Ms Sanderson had also battled depression and alcohol abuse for more than 30 years and had been receiving help from her GP since 1993.

Pathologist Dr Syed Hashmi, who conducted the post-mortem examination, determined the medical cause of death as a severe traumatic brain injury.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Richard Taylor said: "Susan suffered a significant injury when she struck the pavement or road outside her house.

"This was unwitnessed and Susan never returned to consciousness enough to say anything again about what had happened."