AN elderly woman was found to have the superbug MRSA following an operation on her hip, an inquest heard.

Mrs Barbara Harrison (70) died in January following surgery in December. MRSA was said to be a "contributory factor" but not the sole cause of her death.

Mrs Harrison, of Inman Street, Bury, was described as suffering from a number of conditions including bronchial pneumonia. She died in January from post operative complications after being admitted to Fairfield General Hospital the previous month, following a fall in her home.

The hearing was told how an operation was necessary to alleviate the pain Mrs Harrison was suffering from. Following the operation, the former care home proprietor developed a number of post-operative complications, including the superbug MRSA sepsis and bronchial pneumonia.

Coroner Simon Nelson ruled: "The underlying factor of her death was surgical procedure which doctors thought necessary. MRSA was a contributing factor, but was not the direct cause of death."

He said that her death was due to complications of necessary surgery intervention.

Mr Nelson added that Mrs Harrison's quality of life would have been affected had she not had the operation.

Speaking after the inquest in Bury, the family's solicitor Mr Tim Woods, of Carl Chapman and Co, said: "Mrs Harrison was a very fit lady, and she enjoyed hill walking. Her death has been very upsetting for the family, and they wanted answers to questions, which have now eventually been answered."

But Mr Woods added: "We are in the process of drafting a letter to the NHS Trust asking them to consider the wider issues of MRSA and raise awareness of the importance of hygiene among staff, patients and visitors."

Mrs Harrison's son Michael, who lives in Parliament Place, Bury, added: "My mother spent the last days of her life on Ward 21 where the staff treated her, and the family, with kindness and compassion."