A BLIND pensioner who fell down her stairs suffered multiple fractures and severe hypothermia after lying helpless in freezing conditions for almost 12 hours.

Miss Nora Wilcockson, 76, who was only wearing a thin nightdress, tumbled down 15 steps at her Horwich home.

She came to rest behind the front door suffering from a fractured neck, wrist, hip and gash to the forehead.

She lay in sub zero temperatures from 10pm on Friday night, until 9.30am the following morning, when her district nurse discovered her. The nurse, not able to get through the front door, alerted the emergency services.

Ambulance men treated Miss Wilcockson of Horwich, and discovered that due to the freezing conditions, her temperature had plummeted to 31 degrees centigrade, from the normal 36.

Miss Wilcockson, who remained conscious throughout her ordeal, was then rushed to Bolton Royal Infirmary where this morning her condition was described as "very poorly"

An ambulance spokesman told the BEN: "It is marvellous how she managed to survive not only the severe injuries she suffered, but the horrendous cold conditions." Today a shocked neighbour said: "She had only just come out of hospital on Thursday.

"It is a terrible shame what happened, we just now all hope she will be okay."

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