Why didn’t I just stay? I regret leaving my mum Valerie Kneale alone at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

Blackpool coroner Alan Wilson is investigating the death of 75-year-old Valerie Kneale, who was murdered at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in 2018.

Mrs Kneale, 75, from Blackpool, died of injuries sustained while recovering on the stroke unit at Blackpool Victoria Hospital on November 16, 2018.

A post-mortem found that she had died following a haemorrhage caused by a “non-medical related internal injury”, leading police to open a murder investigation into her death.

Now more than six years since her death, the circumstances surrounding the untimely death of the retired clerical assistant born in Pilling are being reviewed during a week long inquest.

Mrs Kneale who married her husband William in 1959 was enjoying her retirement. Mrs Kneale worked at CTN industrial clothing Garstang until she finished her career.

The inquest was told Mrs Kneale had been admitted into hospital after suffering a significant cerebral haemorrhage stroke.

The stroke had caused her to slip on a chair and fracture her left leg.

But despite being in hopsital and recieving treatment Mrs Kneale died just four days later from concerning injuries which sparked a police investigation.

The inquest was told the post mortem revealed her death was due to internal and external vaginal lacerations.

In a statement given to the inquest, Mrs Kneale’s son Mike described seeing his mum’s condition deteroriate during visits to the hospital.

The coroner was told around 8.30pm on the night she suffered the stroke, Mrs Kneale was on the stroke unit of Blackpool Vic and ‘seemed OK - her speech was not perfect but she seemed quite with it’.

Yet by the following morning, Mr Kneale said his father received a call at 8am saying he urgently need to attend the hospital.

When he arrived Mrs Kneale was in the same bed as the night before but was making ‘whimpering noises’.

He was told bleeding had increased on the brain and she would be in meditative state for the rest of life. Mr Kneale told the coroner his mother had always said she'd never want to be a burden.

Mr Wilson was told the only other member of staff around when the family heard about Mrs Kneale’s condition was a female nurse called Nikki.

Another statement by Mrs Kneale’s daughter Sharon was also read to the court at Blackpool Town Hall.

The coroner heard Mrs Kneale was moved to room 40 right at the entrance to the ward on Tuesday.

She seemed to scratch her body and chest and then place her right hand on her groin. All family members observed the whimpering nosies she made and they asked her if she was in pain. She had been given medication.

The statement read: “Why didn’t I just stay? I regret leaving her alone Monday evening.”

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