AN 82-YEAR-OLD woman died from asphyxiation after choking on food in a care home, an inquest heard.

Ivy Potts, a resident in Sun Hill Residential Home, in Manchester Road, Burnley, was admitted to Royal Blackburn Hosiptal after she choked on food.

The inquest was told Mrs Potts suffered from dementia and could no longer feed herself.

Staff members Jade Pye and Megan Pollard told East Lancashire coroner Michael Singleton that Mrs Potts had a special meal plan which stated all her meals should be cut up small and fed to her by a care worker.

On the day she died, Miss Pye was feeding Mrs Potts in this way when Mrs Potts began to choke.

Miss Pollard perfomed the Heimlich manoeuvre and the food was dislodged but Mrs Potts continued to have breathing problems.

An ambulance was called and five hours later, Mrs Potts died.

Coroner Michael Singleton said that the cause of death was asphixiation after the inhalation of food. He ruled an accidental death verdict.