A PENSIONER who died in Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital was suffering from natural disease but had also had a number of falls, a coroner's court was told.

Frank Herd, 86, had been living in a care home in Windermere when was admitted to the hospital in the early hours of April 3.

He had a number of falls while he was in hospital, and died on April 10.

Consultant pathologist Robert Blewitt told the inquest at Kendal that the cause of death was bronchial pneumonia, due to subdural haemorrhage, and cerebro vascular disease.

The coroner for South Cumbria and Furness, Ian Smith, said that Mr Herd's health was seriously compromised before he went into hospital, and that his mobility and his ability to communicate were very badly impaired.

Mr Herd tried to move around while he was in hospital, but Mr Smith said he was unable to do so and, inevitably, falls would take place. Mr Smith said his verdict was that Mr Herd had died from a combination of natural disease and a series of accidents.

He said Mr Herd's family, who had since moved abroad and were not able to attend the inquest, had raised some concerns with him by letter.

His family felt a call bell had been put out of Mr Herd's reach, so that he had to shout for help. However, Mr Smith said he did not accept that and that, unfortunately, Mr Herd did not understand how to use the call bell, and could have knocked it out of his reach while moving around.

Mr Smith also said that the nursing staff had been faced with an "impossible problem" in trying to prevent Mr Herd from moving around and falling, and that the staff had done the best they could in the circumstances.