AN elderly woman choked to death as she ate her tea in hospital.

A Huddersfield inquest yesterday heard that Nancy Hocknell, 87, died last October 25 in the Royal Infirmary.

Miss Hocknell, of Longley Road, Almondbury,

fell on October 15 and was examined in casualty. She was given painkillers and discharged.

But her sister, Barbara Hocknell, said that on October 22 Nancy suffered extreme pain in her right hip.

She was taken to HRI and the next day had hip replacement surgery.

But on October 24, Barbara Hocknell got a call saying she was ill.

A nurse had found her unconscious and pale.

Her brain had been starved of oxygen, so her breathing equipment was switched off.

Coroner Roger Whittaker ..TEXT: recorded a verdict of accidental death.