POLICE have launched an investigation after an elderly woman suffered chest pains and died when a stone was thrown through her window.

Jemima Matthewson, 75, had been at the Stanley Road home in Morecambe she shared with her husband William when the attack was launched.

Mr Matthewson was looking out of a ground floor window at 8.10pm on Tuesday when he saw a silver 4X4 vehicle parked outside a nearby house.

A man - of large build, bald and wearing a dark blue shirt - threw a large stone at Mr Matthewson, breaking the window he was standing behind.

No one was hurt but the elderly couple were left shaken. Mrs Matthew was later taken to Royal Lancaster Infirmary with chest pains, where she died.

Officers were on the scene late on Tuesday night, searching for witnesses and quizzing neighbours for any information, before returning again the next day.

An incident room has been set up in a bid to track down the man behind the stone attack, and Stanley Road was sealed off to traffic for a period.

A close neighbour, who had just heard the news, fought back tears as she told the Citizen yesterday: "It's horrible I can't talk about it."

Yvonne Searle, 33, who lives nearby, was taken aback by what had happened.

She said she had feared her own family had come to some harm when police woke her at midnight during house-to-house enquiries.

"I had been in all night but didn't hear anything," she said.

"I didn't know the couple. I have only been here since January and thought it was a quiet street. You hear about this sort of thing but don't expect it to happen on your own doorstep. I just wish I could be more help."

Other residents and local workers were hearing the news yesterday there was a shared feeling of shock, with people saying it was usually a quiet place. One woman, who works nearby, said: "It is a very sad end for the lady."

Det Sup't Paul Buschini says: "There seems to be no motive whatsoever for this incident and our inquiries today will try and establish the reasoning behind it. We would like to speak to anyone who might have been in the Stanley Road area that evening who might be able to help us trace the man who threw the stone."

A post mortem into Mrs Matthewson's death was due to take place yesterday (Wednesday).

Anyone with information is asked to call 01524-63333/ 596712 or the Crimestoppers hotline on 0800-555-111.

May 1, 2003 08:00