A 96-YEAR-OLD woman was left with burns and blisters on her body after a hot water bottle burst in her bed, an inquest heard.

The hearing at the Ribble Valley Borough Council Chamber in Clitheroe heard how Marjorie Cameron suffered the burns in the early hours of Friday, March 7, at Hazeldene Care Home in Wilpshire.

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She was treated at Royal Blackburn Hospital before being taken back to the home in Ribchester Road and seen on a regular basis by district nurses.

However Mrs Cameron, who moved to the home in January 2011, was admitted to Royal Preston Hospital for further treatment.

Michael Singleton, senior coroner for Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley, said that the burns on her back and buttock became infected and that she was in a state of confusion. She also developed a kidney infection and died on April 15.

The inquest hearing will see a jury of nine return a verdict after hearing from 11 witnesses.

Mrs Cameron’s daughter Marie Jump, told the inquest: “Her mental health was very good and she was very sharp and had good awareness of what was going on. She had had the replacement hot water bottle for some time.

“When I saw her the on March 7 she was a bit confused and a bit sore. She had been up all night and not slept at all really.The hot water bottle had split along the bottom.”

Mr Singleton confirmed with Mrs Jump that the bottle had suffered an ‘immediate catastrophic failure’ as opposed to a slow leak.

Philip Kamanga, a senior care assistant at the home who was the first to respond to the incident, said: “I heard shouting and screaming and when I came into the room she was sitting on the edge of the bed. She shouted to me that she had scalded herself. She was screaming out in pain.

Kenneth Odogbo, a health care assistant from A1 Nursing and Homecare Agency, said that he had filled the hot water bottle, shortly before it burst, from the kitchen kettle.

Stephen Redding, the former home manager, said that an incident report was completed and new guidelines issued about hot water bottles.

The inquest continues today.