A crash in which a car driven by a man from St Helens smashed into a bungalow, "severely" injuring a 92-year-old woman, "contributed" to her death but did not cause it, an inquest has concluded.

Edna Kearns died on April 8 last year at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Bolton Coroners Court heard Mrs Kearns was in and out of hospital prior to her death after a 'horrific' accident at her bungalow in White Horse Grove, Westhoughton.

Michael Vose, 40, of Mount Pleasant Avenue, St Helens, crashed into the bungalow at speed on November 25, 2021 and was subsequently jailed for four years and banned him from driving for seven years.

The son of Mrs Kearns, Rodney Kearns told the inquest that his mum had been "content" in life before the accident.

St Helens Star:

He said: “Her mind was still active, she enjoyed life and was able to engage in conversations with family and friends .

“She was content and loved her bungalow, as she would not move to a care home or anything.”

Mr Kearns told the inquest: "The accident was so severe, that it caused her bed to spin around the room."

Coroner Professor Dr Alan Walsh heard that Mrs Kearns was lucky to be alive at the time of the accident, as the car landed “almost on top of her bed” when she had been sleeping in the early hours of the morning.

Pathologist Dr Philip Lumb at Royal Oldham Hospital said Mrs Kearns suffered nutmeg liver and fluid around her lungs prior to the crash, along with other conditions.

It was also found that the elderly woman was suffering from Covid at the time of her death.

While her legs had lacerations at the time of the accident in November 2021, the wounds were healing.

St Helens Star:

Doctors revealed that Mrs Kearns had pressure sores on her right heel, as a result of restricted mobility.

Doctors could not be sure of the reason why her mobility was restricted.

The restricted mobility was said to then have caused the pulmonary embolism, a condition which causes blood clots in the lungs.

While the family argued that if the accident had not happened, Mrs Kearns would still be alive today, Dr Walsh concluded the death to be: “Pulmonary embolism due to deep vein thrombosis, contributed by natural occurrences and in part by the road traffic collision.”

But Mr Walsh said he did not find that the road traffic collision injuries could be held in a criminal court and that Mrs Kearns' death had not ultimately been caused by the accident, as explained by medical professionals as more 'complex' of a case.

Mr Walsh said: "I find it deeply concerning that a 92-year-old should have suffered in this road traffic collision when sleeping in her bed.

"She shouldn't have gone through this."