A WOMAN died from a blood clot after she broke her ankle decorating a Christmas tree.

Eileen Coop, aged 63, had been helping her sister decorate a Christmas tree on November 21, when she stepped back awkwardly on her ankle, causing it to fracture, an inquest was told.

Mrs Coop, of Heron's Way, Bolton, died just over four weeks later.

The pensioner was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital where she underwent surgery to repair the break and was then sent home with a zimmer frame to help her walk.

The inquest was told she moved temporarily to live with her sister while she recuperated and she appeared to be making a good recovery.

But, early on Christmas Eve morning, Mrs Coop's sister found her lying in bed not breathing.

Despite strenuous efforts made by doctors to resuscitate Mrs Coop, her heart could not be re-started and she was declared dead just over an hour later.

Dr David Bissett, who conducted a post mortem examination on Mrs Coop, said she had suffered a deep vein thrombosis in her leg due to the ankle fracture, which had resulted in a blood clot travelling to her lungs, blocking the main arteries, causing her to have a pulmonary embolism.

Her husband, Alan Coop, described how his wife had broken her ankle: "She was just standing on the floor decorating a Christmas tree more or less at eye level. She was not standing on a stool or a ladder. As far as I know she just took a step backwards and twisted her ankle. She didn't so much fall as stand awkwardly."

Dr Bissett told the inquest that it was very unusual for DVT to occur as a result of such a relatively minor injury. He said: "It is very unusual to see such a terrible outcome from a fracture of the ankle. It is known but unusual."

The inquest heard that Mrs Coop, who had a thyroid condition, had been taking a daily dose of aspirin to thin her blood which should have helped prevent blood clots from developing.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Coroner Jennifer Leeming said that in breaking her ankle while putting up Christmas decorations, Mrs Coop had started the chain of events that had led to her death.