AN 81-year-old fell down attic steps at the care home where she was living after staff left a door open, an inquest was told.

The hearing was told that the door to the upper floor should have been locked, denying access to Alzheimer's sufferer Irene Whittle.

And a care assistant on duty at the time said she had left the job because of what happened and because of the attitude of management at the private Astley House Home, Whitehall Road, Darwen.

In a statement read to the inquest Emma Coughlin said: "The management were panicking because one on the night shift workers should have been first aid qualified and neither of us were." Earlier Miss Coughlin told how the attic was used during the day as an office. There were nine or 10 patients at the home which cared for people with dementia type problems rather than physical problems.

She said Mrs Whittle was always reluctant to go to bed and never fully settled. She regularly got out of bed and went into the rooms of other patients although she didn't know what she was doing.

"Some nights we would put her on the reclining chair in the lounge to be with the staff," said Miss Coughlin. "She was always trying to escape and quite a few times we found her in the garden."

On the night of the fall, January 30, Miss Coughlin had checked in Irene's room and found her missing. She started searching for her and as she approached the stairway leading to the attic Mrs Whittle "flew out of the door" and ended up flat on the floor.

"I was really shocked because the door should have been locked at all times and she shouldn't have been able to get in there," said Miss Coughlin.

Mrs Whittle, whose home was in Swann Street, Darwen, was rushed to hospital suffering a fractured tibia and fibula and a laceration on her other leg. She died as a result of cardiac failure on March 2.

Dr Helen Stringfellow, who carried out the post mortem examination said Mrs Whittle had pre-existing, severe heart disease and the physical stress of the surgery she underwent after the fall would have put additional strain on her heart.

Coroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Astley House declined to comment.

Private care homes are regulated by the National Care Standards Committee.

A spokesman said it investigated all cases where a complaint had been made, but none had been received in this case.