AN operation to repair a fractured femur following a fall proved too much for 92-year-old Edith Wellock.

She had a heart attack during the operation and died, an inquest was told.

Mr Jack Wellock of Southcliffe Avenue, Burnley, said his mother, who was born in Burnley on Christmas Day, 1906, had lived at Eaves Hall nursing home, Kiddrow Lane, after fracturing her right hip in a fall in July, 1998.

On October 20 he was told there had been an accident at the nursing home and his mother was in hospital. She never came round from the operation and died shortly afterwards.

Pathologist Dr Helen Frances Stringfellow said a post mortem examination showed that Mrs Wellock had quite severe heart disease.

Cause of death was cardiac arrest due to stress of the operation. She said there was nothing technically wrong with the operation which was a necessary operation.

Care assistant Sharon Ingham said that about an hour after taking Mrs Wellock to bed she heard her shouting for help.

She found her sitting on the floor of her bedroom between the sink and chair. She said her hip and back were hurting and her shins were bleeding.

She said she had fallen but didn't know why.

Recording a verdict of accidental death East Lancashire Coroner David Smith said the stress of having to have an operation at the age of 92 brought about her death due to heart failure.

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