A RETIRED vicar died from internal bleeding while he was on two types of medication, an inquest heard.

William Bolton, aged 91, had been diagnosed as diabetic in his seventies and suffered circulation problems 10 years later. He was taking medication for the two conditions.

Bolton-born Mr Bolton spent his later years in the Isle of Man before returning to the North-west to be closer to his family. He was being cared for at the Carolyn Residential Home in Atherton before he was admitted to hospital.

His son Michael told the inquest that his father had been very active well into his eighties.

Coroner Martin Coppel returned a verdict of misadventure and said Mr Bolton had bled to death because of too high a level of anti blood-clotting medication.

A doctor involved in Mr Bolton's treatment said it was possible that he may have been suffering from another illness which was still undiscovered at the time of his death.

Mr Coppel said that there was a risk with the blood-clotting treatment and this had been known about and considered when the medication was administered. The risk became a reality and caused his death.

Mr Coppel added that it was unclear whether Mr Bolton's diabetes medication had been a factor in his death.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.