A MOTHER-OF-FOUR and grandmother from Darwen, who died during a family holiday in Bulgaria, fell victim to 'three pieces of extremely bad luck', an inquest heard.

Teaching assistant Liz Fairclough, 51, suffered a fall in a hotel pool, shortly into the break, and is then thought to have developed an infection after swimming in the sea, Preston Coroner’s Court was told.

Her initial treatment, by medics at Burgas Hospital, appeared to focus on the possibility she may have banged her head during the original swimming pool fall, the court heard.

She had also developed a rash on her thigh, which became progressively worse. An operation was undertaken to relieve some of the pressure building up on her thigh, and she was transferred to intensive care, where her condition deteriorated and she died on August 18.

Dr Mark Pitt, who conducted a post-mortem examination in the UK, said the cause of death was septic shock, linked to a severe form of cellulitis.

Prof Satyan Rajbhandari, a consultant physician from Preston who reviewed Mrs Fairclough’s case, said if she had been treated at an NHS hospital, when her general observations included low blood pressure, any suspected underlying infection would then have been treated with antibiotics.

The professor told the court that even the slightest scratch to Mrs Fairclough’s skin may have led to a streptococcal infection developing.

Her husband Andrew Fairclough, of Radfield Road, said eventually doctors diagnosed his wife with a torn muscle and she was sent home with related medication.

She was returned to the hospital a short time later after being left in agony at her hotel.

Giving a narrative conclusion, Preston coroner Dr Richard Adeley said Mrs Fairclough had died at Burgas Hospital after 'opportunities for treatment' were missed.

“This was three pieces of extremely bad luck all lining up together,” said Dr Adeley, who reassured the family that they had done everything they could for Mrs Fairclough.

Mrs Fairclough, who was a former volunteer within the maternity unit for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, and had worked as an infant feeding co-ordinator, also left children Kristian, Michael, Dylan and Sam.