A 92-YEAR-OLD widow spent the last 12 hours of her life alone in a hospital cubicle.

And a Huddersfield inquest heard how her death followed concerns over her discharge from the Royal Infirmary only hours earlier.

The tragic last few hours of Ada Wimpenny - who had never been in hospital before - were revealed at the inquest.

And a coroner expressed "concerns" over the way Mrs Wimpenny had been discharged.

Mrs Wimpenny was re-admitted to the Royal Infirmary last December 22 after a three-week stay following a suspected stroke early in the month.

The hearing was told how the pensioner, who lived on Newsome Road South, Berry Brow, had been found slumped over a table at her home after a neighbour raised the alarm on December 4.

Her visit to the Royal Infirmary was the first time she had ever been in hospital.

During her three-week stay Mrs Wimpenny partially recovered. But she was hit by a bout of vomiting and diarrhoea - a bug which eventually forced the closure of the ward.

Despite protests from her niece, Gillian Flannagan, whose evidence was read out at the inquest, hospital bosses said Mrs Wimpenny was fit to go home on December 22.

Mrs Flannagan said: "We were told she was mobile, even with a frame, when she wasn't."

While at home Mrs Wimpenny could not sit up properly, walk - even with the help of a frame - or stop her head from falling forward.

A worried carer eventually got her re-admitted to the Royal Infirmary at about 3.30pm the same day.

When Mrs Flannagan rang the hospital at 6pm she was told her aunt would be seen by a doctor soon.

Mrs Wimpenny was in a cubicle in the accident and emergency department with a curtain around.

Despite Mrs Flannagan ringing again at 7.30pm, 9pm and 10pm Mrs Wimpenny had still not been seen by a doctor.

Her niece was later told she would be transferred to the Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax as no beds were available at Huddersfield.

When Mrs Wimpenny was eventually examined - more than seven hours after admission - a doctor said she had become dehydrated and had contracted a hospital-acquired chest infection.

But before she could be transferred to Halifax she suffered a heart attack or pulmonary embolism. She was taken to an intensive care unit at 3.40am and died 30 minutes later, on December 23.

Coroner Roger Whittaker said the system meant it was "virtually impossible" for Mrs Wimpenny to stay in her own home.

He added: "I have concerns about the way in which she was discharged."

Speaking after Mr Whittaker recorded a verdict of death by natural causes, Mrs Flannagan said her aunt had managed well before going into hospital.

She added: "When they said she was fit to come home, we were scared.

"We knew it wasn't the right time. We just presumed the hospital knew what they were talking about."

A spokesman for the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust said: " The trust would like to express its sympathy to the family of Mrs Wimpenny and reassure them that the concerns expressed by the coroner will be addressed."