AN 81-year-old woman died from a brain haemorrhage after she fell from her hospital bed.

Eileen Barry, of Westbrook, was admitted to Halton Hospital in April after developing a fever.

Two days later, an auxiliary nurse found her sitting on the floor by the side of her bed.

An inquest heard staff nurse Mary Higginson recall that Mrs Barry, who had leukaemia, was unable to remember what had happened and that after being checked over was returned to her bed.

But later that day, Mrs Barry became agitated and staff, suspecting a stroke, sent her for an MRI scan, which revealed a large blood clot.

She died later that day.

A post mortem revealed that Mrs Barry died from the clot, which was caused by a ruptured blood vessel.

Dr Al-Rawi, assistant specialist pathologist at Warrington Hospital, said that he suspected the blood clot was recent and, despite no physical external evidence of injury, it could have been caused by a trauma related to the earlier incident.

Staff nurse Higginson said that because Mrs Barry was not confused or rolling about in her bed, cot sides had not been deemed necessary.

Detective sergeant David Griffiths, from Cheshire Police, told the inquest that he had been unable to trace the patient in the neighbouring bed to find out if they had witnessed what had happened.

A patient safety officer at the hospital said that the auxiliary nurse could not remember who was in the neighbouring beds as they were often moved around.

Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg recorded a verdict of accidental death and said: "Whether she slipped or fell from her bed or tried to get up or whatever, we will never know."