A SOUTHCREST woman died four days after being sent home from the Alexandra Hospital following a car crash, an inquest heard on Monday.

Edna May Lammas, 77, of Greenfields, died from bronchial pneumonia at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital on October 30 last year.

Pathologist Dr Louise Brown said the pneumonia developed following spinal chord damage as a result of a dislocated vertebra in her neck.

Mrs Lammas' husband, Leonard, said in a statement they were travelling along Tunnel Drive on October 26 when their car was in collision with a lorry. The couple were taken by ambulance to the Alexandra Hospital but returned home later that day after X-rays showed no abnormalities.

Dr Brown said the dislocation did not occur until afterwards.

Mr Lammas said: "At 8pm, our daughter left and while she was out, Edna stood up and said she did not feel very well."

Mr Lammas said his wife slid to the floor and he telephoned his daughter, who came back and called for an ambulance.

Daughter Kim Lammas said the paramedics arrived and placed her mother in a hammock before sitting her upright in a chair.

Miss Lammas returned to her mother's early next day to find her in the same position, freezing cold.

She called their GP, who called an ambulance, which took Mrs Lammas to hospital.

Worcestershire coroner Victor Round adjourned the hearing for a date to be fixed as he believed conduct had been called into question.