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'Raid caused our mum's death' - family

Gillian Longstaff
30/ 1/2003

A 'SPRIGHTLY' pensioner died just weeks after she was held at knifepoint during a raid on her home.

Widow Mary Pickering, 86, died three weeks after challenging an intruder who then pulled a knife on her at her Earle Street home, in Ashton, and stole £40.

The culprit was never found.

But despite an inquest into her death now ruling out a link to the attack last May, her family say they still believe the trauma of the heartless robbery killed her.

Assistant deputy coroner Chris Welton, who recorded a verdict of natural causes, said 'personally' he couldn't help but sympathise with them.

"We still feel it was the shock which killed her and that's something we've got to live with," said her son-in-law Steve Crutchley.

"In the last couple of years she wasn't quite as active as she was, but after this she just deteriorated rapidly.

"We were away when it happened and she refused to go to hospital, so my son called the doctor. But as soon as we got home I insisted she went to hospital."

Mr Welton said these kind of cases were always difficult to prove and the incident was a sad indictment on today's society.

"How a sprightly 86-year-old looking after herself should be the victim of what was a terrifying experience is beyond me," he said.
"It must have had an effect on her but we have no medical evidence to show the trauma caused the condition which ultimately killed her."

Home office pathologist Dr William Lawler said Mrs Pickering had unknowingly suffered a mild heart attack at some point, but as she already had heart disease he couldn't prove it was as a result of the robbery.

He gave her cause of death as bronchial pneumonia due to heart disease.

Now the family say they're facing double heartache after claiming a family heirloom ring was stolen from Mrs Pickering after she died in Tameside Hospital last June.

"The family were there with her when she died and she had all her rings on," Mr Crutchley told us.

"We asked about taking the jewellery but they said they would sort it out so we left it. Then we discovered her opal ring was missing. On top of everything that's happened it's just too much," he added.

A spokesman for Tameside Hospital said: "This matter has been brought to our attention and we are still investigating it.

"We realise it is taking some time and apologise for that.
"We will be contacting the family within the week."