A MOTHER died from falling down the stairs after returning home from a night at the bingo, an inquest heard.

Anne Marie Santley was rushed to the Salford Royal Hospital following the fall at her home in Deane Road, Bolton, on June 30.

But senior coroner Jennifer Leeming heard her head injury was so severe that doctors could not save her and she died three days later.

Mrs Santley’s husband, Stephen Santley, told the court how they had married in 1980 and had a son, but divorced after 19 years and his wife went to live in Portugal.

After her return to Bolton in 2008 they got together again and remarried in 2012.

On June 30 Mrs Santley went to bingo in while her husband stayed at home watching football on television.

The coroner was told how she returned home, but at 10.20pm the 54-year-old said she was tired and not feeling well and was going to bed.

Mr Santley said he saw his wife get to the top of the stairs before she fell.

He added: “She came down very fast. She didn’t cry out and didn’t appear to try and break her fall.”

She was unconscious and was rushed to hospital where staff, found she had sustained a pulmonary embolism — a blood clot in her lungs — as well as a fractured skull and brain injury.

Consultant Dr Gareth Thomas told the court that he could not be certain, but the embolism may have caused Mrs Santley to fall.

Coroner Mrs Leeming recorded a conclusion that Tesco worker Mrs Santley’s death was accidental as it was the head injury, rather than the embolism, that was fatal.