A CANCER-stricken pensioner who fell out of bed in a nursing home suffered a broken arm which "contributed," to her death, an inquest heard.

The hearing, at Burnley magistrates court, was told how Edith Watson, 85, was found dead at Swallow House, Dove Court, in the town, at teatime the next day by her grandaughter who was visiting. Staff were unaware she had died.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, East Lancs Coroner David Smith, said Mrs Watson had been very poorly, the injury was the "straw which broke the camel's back," and the shock and upset led to her death. Nobody had known she had cancer.

The inquest was told how Mrs Watson of Lyndhurst Road, Burnley, died on July 3 at Dove Court, where she had gone for respite care.

In the early hours of July 2, she had fallen out of bed and when her son Alan Earnshaw later went to visit her, she had a black eye and bruised right arm. Mrs Watson complained of pain in her arm and screamed out when it was touched. A nurse rested the arm on a cushion.

Pathologist Dr Walid Salman said Mrs Watson's arm was broken. She had a tumour in her left lung which had spread "everywhere." She died of bronchial pneumonia due to the cancer. The fracture did not cause her death but may have contributed towards it.

Staff Nurse Virginia Xaba who was in charge of the unit the night Mrs Watson fell out of her bed said the pensioner was checked hourly because staff were worried about her condition.

The nurse said she was told by a care assistant that Mrs Watson had been found on the floor about 3am. Mrs Waton, who had previously complained of pain in her right arm, did not complain of any more discomfort in the arm and there were no signs of any bruises or injuries. She was helped into a reclining chair, was quite relaxed and went to sleep. Nurse Xaba added there were no cot sides on Mrs Watson's bed and her family had not requested them.

Care assistant Pauline Johnson told the hearing she asked Mrs Watson if she had hurt herself and she said no but her arm felt heavy.