A Bristol woman who smoked for more than 45 years died because a circulation problem almost completely cut off the blood supply to her legs.

Mary Hassey, 78, passed away at the St George Nursing Home in May 2007 after she developed pneumonia and a kidney infection. She had also contracted the bug MRSA.

Miss Hassey was house-bound for more than eight years after she was first admitted to hospital in 1999, Avon Coroners' Court heard.

Doctors discovered she had high blood pressure, high cholesterol in her blood and very narrow blood vessels in her legs, which caused her pain when she walked.

An X-ray found the arteries, in particular those in her right leg, were almost completely blocked and that very little blood could circulate.

In November 2006 Miss Hassey suffered a fall, hurting her right calf, and was admitted to Frenchay Hospital.

She developed large, deep ulcers on her legs, as well as cellulitis, pressure sores and muscle waste, and in early 2007 had skin grafts to try to fix the wounds.

The lack of blood meant the injuries would not heal, and they became so bad doctors considered amputating her right leg. But they decided she might not survive the operation, so on April 16 she was moved to the St George Nursing Home, where she died on May 18.

Miss Hassey's niece, Susan Hemmati, said the nursing home's matron told her in 20 years she had never seen injuries so bad, and asked medical experts at an inquest whether they felt there was any neglect, or if the MRSA could have contributed to her death.

Dr Hugh White, a consultant pathologist who carried out the post-mortem examination on Miss Hassey, said there was no evidence to suggest her death had arisen from neglect, and that it was unlikely that MRSA was a major factor.

Deputy coroner Brian Whitehouse returned a verdict of death by natural causes, and found there was no evidence of neglect in the care Miss Hassey had received.