A 75-year-old Dursley woman who had been seriously ill with swine flu died after falling downstairs at home, an inquest heard yesterday.

Elizabeth Pullin, known as Betty, of Kingsdown Drive, died on August 14 this year after she was found unconscious at the bottom of the stairs with washing strewn around her.

Gloucestershire Coroner Alan Crickmore heard she had been given the Tamiflu vaccine a few days before her death and had been feeling much better,

Mrs Pullin's friend Patricia Sermon said: "She had been very ill with the flu and when I phoned on the Sunday she was sweating and vomiting so I did not go to see her.

"I rang again a couple of days later and it sounded as though she was getting better, but when I rang again on August 13 I couldn't get a reply.

"I went to her husband David's workplace to tell him I was worried and to get a key so that I could get into the house. When I went in, she was lying on her side unconscious at the bottom of the stairs and there was blood around her mouth and nose."

Husband David Pullin said before he went to work for an afternoon shift, Betty had been feeling a lot better.

Accident and emergency consultant Dr Allen said a CT scan had shown a large haemorrhage that was putting pressure on the brain and nothing could be done.

Summing up, Mr Crickmore said Mrs Pullin's painful knee made it difficult for her to climb the stairs and she was recovering from flu.

"It seems that she got out of bed, did the washing and, after drying it, was carrying it back up the stairs when she fell," he said.

Verdict: Accident.