A PENSIONER died after injuring herself at home and lying undiscovered for more than 24 hours.

Patricia Woodward, 80, tripped on the landing of her home in Mansfield Road, Walthamstow, and because she could not move or alert anyone, she became increasing ill and dehydrated, an inquest heard.

When her nephew found his diabetic aunt some 24 hours later, she was confused and had developed sores from being in the same position.

These sores later became infected, which takes longer to repair itself in diabetics, and led to her death 15 days later at Whipps Cross University Hospital from septicemia due to the break-down of the skin.

At an inquest at Walthamstow Coroner’s Court yesterday, the court heard that Miss Woodward had lived in the same house since she was born.

Her nephew Clive Woodward, of Forest View Road, Loughton, told the court that his aunt had been very friendly with her neighbours. It was one of them who alerted him on October 7 last year out of concern that she had not taken her milk inside from the day before.

Mr Woodward went to her house with the neighbour but, despite having a key, he could not gain entry because the door had been bolted from the inside.

He then forced entry and went upstairs where he found the pensioner lying on the landing in her nightdress.

He said: “She was on the landing and was unable to get up because of her legs. She was a little confused, but lucid. Although her body was worn out she was very sharp and she just wanted to get up and have a drink.

“She said she had tripped. We think she had been there for a day but she was unable to tell us.”

Coroner Dr Elizabeth Stearns asked Mr Woodward whether or not she had been wearing an alarm so she could alert someone. But he said that unfortunately she did not own such a device.

Miss Woodward was taken by ambulance to Whipps Cross University Hospital where she was treated for dehydration, her diabetes and for the skin infection.

In court, Dr Gregory Burch, a house officer at the Leytonstone hospital, said that the ulcers did not get better and they decided it was too dangerous too operate because she was not fit to go under an anaesthetic.

Despite making a short improvement mentally, the court heard, she relapsed and died.

Mr Woodward told the court that his aunt had led a very fulfilling life, working for Barclays Bank in London for most of her life, and as a very active member of her church and St John Ambulance.

The Coronor said: “It is rather a sad tale really. An elderly lady still living in the house where she was born and brought up, and was independent and enjoying community life.

“I’m satisfied that the septicemia given as a cause of death was directly related to the break down of skin because of the pressure lying immobile for a period of time. "It was an accidental trip on the landing and in my opinion all these sad sequence of events stem from that.”

The Coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.