‘Pins and needles’ death of Brierfield mum (44)

Mrs Diane Hawthorn was found by her 21-year-old son Billy collapsed at the top of the stairs at their home in Edge End on March 30th.

Her husband Keith was working away at the time, but had spoken to her on the phone the night before.

An inquest at Burnley Coroner’s Court heard evidence from Mr Hawthorn that his wife, who smoked around 15 cigarettes a day, had not been unwell, but had complained of chest pains and a “pins and needles” sensation a few weeks previously.

He said: “Diane had always been fit and healthy. We used to go out cycling and before that she enjoyed walking the dog.

“On March 14th she complained she didn’t feel well and thought she might have had a heart attack. I wanted her to go to hospital but she said she felt better and a week later went to her doctors. The doctor prescribed her heartburn tablets and she seemed okay after that. She didn’t take time off work.”

But when Mr Hawthorn tried to ring his wife on the morning of March 30th there was no answer. Shortly after, their son found her collapsed, not breathing.

A post-mortem examination undertaken by pathologist Dr Abdul Al-Dawoud found no evidence of a heart attack.

He said: “There was no sign of a heart attack, but the arteries did look small and were very slightly blocked. There was also a small clot inside the heart. This put it within the range of ischemic heart disease. It could be that an irregular heartbeat caused her blood to clot. This was the cause of death.”

Deputy East Lancashire Coroner Mr Mark Williams recorded a verdict of natural causes.