A POST mortem examination was due to be carried out today on the body of an elderly woman found dead in a Padiham street.

The death is not being treated as suspicious. Officers are awaiting the result of the examination to establish a cause of death.

Paramedics were called to Scott Street, Padiham, at 1.15pm on Saturday after residents raised the alarm.

The 77-year-old local woman was found slumped on the pavement with a serious head injury. Paramedics tried to resuscitate her but she was dead at the scene.

The woman's family asked police not to release details about her.

Sergeant John Fryer, of Burnley police, said: "An ambulance attended the scene after a report of a woman who had collapsed. She was taken to Burnley General Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

"Her head injury was consistent with a fall."

The woman's handbag was by her side and she had no other apparent injuries. A spokesman for Burnley police said officers had established that the woman's death was not suspicious after speaking to a passer-by who saw the elderly woman on the ground and alerted neighbours.

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