Sadness over double death couple

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A couple died within hours of each other in what a coroner said was one of the saddest cases he has dealt with.

Pamela Ann Shaw, 61, died after falling down some stairs as she cared for her husband George, 62, who had motor neurone disease and used a wheelchair.

Meanwhile, Mr Shaw, who was in a bath chair at their home in Deeside, had a heart attack, the Mold inquest heard.

Coroner John Hughes recorded a verdict of accidental death on Mrs Shaw and a verdict of natural causes on Mr Shaw.

The inquest heard how Mrs Shaw had placed her husband in a bath chair in a specially designed wet room at their adapted home in Connah's Quay, then popped upstairs to get some items before showering him.

But she fell down stairs, fractured her skull, and was lying critically ill at the foot of the stairs when police, alerted by concerned family, broke in.

Mr Shaw was found dead in the bath chair, where he had suffered a heart attack.

My heart goes out to you, losing both your parents in this tragic manner Coroner John Hughes to the Shaw's children

His wife, who had been wearing flip flops, was rushed to the Countess of Chester Hospital but died within hours.

North East Wales coroner Mr Hughes said that possibly Mr Shaw may have perceived that something was wrong when she did not return.

"Presumably he would not have known what had happened. He was absolutely powerless to do anything about it," he said.

The coroner told their two sons and daughter: "I think you should be very proud of both your mum and dad."

He said that Mrs Shaw was an independent lady who looked after her husband at home.

"She was, I think determined to love him to death," he said.

Their father was a man of great resilience who did not give in the disease while mum "was a virtual angel" although she probably would not like to be called that, the inquest heard.

Inspiring story

"She did everything for him," said the coroner, who described their life in not allowing his condition to make them "an invalid family" as an inspiring story.

They would go out and go on holiday and were planning to go away at Christmas together, the inquest heard.

Mr Hughes described motor neuron disease as a "living death" and a desperately serious condition.

He told the family: "This is one of the saddest cases I have had to deal with. My heart goes out to you, losing both your parents in this tragic manner."

Family members raised the alarm on the night of 14 December when they could not get an answer at their new home.

The inquest heard Mr Shaw had a heart condition and the coroner said that he suspected that anxiety had raised his blood pressure and caused a heart attack.

Mrs Shaw had a brain haemorrhage following a skull fracture - and a number of organs were donated with the consent of the family in order to help others.