AN ELDERLY woman died after a fall at her Bicester home, an inquest heard.

Peggy Hatton, 87, had a fall at her home in early February and died at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital four days later.

An inquest into her death took place at Oxford Coroner’s Court on Wednesday.

Dr Colin Clelland, consultant pathologist at the JR, told the inquest Mrs Hatton, who had a history of falls, had suffered bleeding on her brain.

He said the fall had caused her brain to be “significantly compressed”.

Dr Clelland said Mrs Hatton had an underlying heart condition and an acute cardiac event could have precipitated the fall.

Dr Nicola Fawcett, medical registrar in acute and general medicine at the JR, said: “Given the size of the bleeding it was thought likely it was going to be fatal.”

The inquest heard Mrs Hatton had received a home visit from doctors on January 9 as a result of a fall.

Coroner Darren Salter said: “I am satisfied that the correct verdict is accidental, based on the fall occurring on February 3 at her home.”