Popular OAP died after she was flung from wheelchair '˜when it hit pothole'

An 88-year-old great gran died after she was flung from her wheelchair when it hit a pothole - outside a hospital's A&E department, her family say.

Archive photo of Audrey Worrall and her husband Arthur. Picture: SWNS

Audrey Worral was being taken to a taxi rank after leaving Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on Thursday night after attending casualty for a broken wrist.

Her family are calling for an investigation claiming her wheelchair hit an unused tree pit in the path and she was flung to the floor.

The great-grandmother of five and well-loved pub landlady suffered a fractured skull and neck and a bleed on the brain.

She died on Monday Monday with her family at her bedside, her son Gary confirmed.

Mr Worall, who was not present at the accident, said he was told his mother was ‘catapulted from her wheelchair’ after it hit an empty tree pit in the pavement.

He said: “It was dark, the front wheel had slipped in to the tree pit. She fractured her skull, neck and had a bleed on the brain.

“Her carer, who we don’t blame for this, screamed for assistance and a taxi driver came to their aid.

“They got her back to the hospital and she didn’t have a CT scan until around 11.30pm. She was in so much pain - people could see she needed urgent help.

“A nurse came out with the results and told her what the injuries were. This sent mum into a panic and she quickly deteriorated. We are absolutely distraught.’’ Mr Worrall described how his mum, who has three children and six grandchildren, went into the hospital with a fractured wrist just before 4pm on Thursday.

Around five hours later her carer from the Horton House Residential Home was taking her to waiting transport when the accident happened, he said.

His part of the procedure was witnessed by her granddaughter Robyn, 24, who happened to be at the hospital for tests and heard her loved one’s voice.

She was put in a neck brace and taken to a hospital ward.

Gary only found a message on his phone the following morning that there had been an accident.

She was just conscious when I went to see her the following morning and the last thing she said was she couldn’t breathe, her tongue was swollen up,” he said.

“She has just drifted off.”

The family is now calling for an investigation into what led to the grandmother’s death.

Mrs Worrall, who ran many establishments during a long career in the pub trade, was due to be in the residential home for eight weeks.

This was so her needs could be reassessed following several health problems and it was hoped she could return home to her husband.

Their daughter Gail Jones had been looking after them both before the admission and Anoushka Currie, manager of Horton House, said Mrs Worrall was doing well.

She said: “Our carer is distraught beyond words. We do everything possible to look after our 24 residents to the highest standards.”

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Royal Hospital said they will be looking into what happened.

“We are very sorry to hear of the death of Mrs Worrall and would like to extend our deepest sympathies to her family at this difficult time,” they said.

“We would be very grateful if the family contacts our Patient Advice and Liaison team to discuss the events of last Thursday as this will allow us to conduct a detailed investigation into their concerns.”