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Flood death: Margaret Hughes, 91, 'would not leave' home | Flood death: Margaret Hughes, 91, 'would not leave' home |
(35 minutes later) | |
A "vulnerable" pensioner who drowned during severe flooding refused to leave her home as water levels rose, an inquest has heard. | A "vulnerable" pensioner who drowned during severe flooding refused to leave her home as water levels rose, an inquest has heard. |
Margaret Hughes, 91, was found dead in her bungalow during floods at St Asaph, Denbighshire, in November 2012. | Margaret Hughes, 91, was found dead in her bungalow during floods at St Asaph, Denbighshire, in November 2012. |
Witness Stephen Green told the Ruthin hearing he knocked on her door at 09:00 GMT and said she should go with him. | Witness Stephen Green told the Ruthin hearing he knocked on her door at 09:00 GMT and said she should go with him. |
But the pensioner, who was eating breakfast, "weighed up the pros and cons" and declined, shutting the door. | But the pensioner, who was eating breakfast, "weighed up the pros and cons" and declined, shutting the door. |
Mr Green said he had been staying with his parents in a nearby street when the floods hit. | |
He woke up to see a lot of activity on the street and so decided to check on his grandmother, who lived next door to Mrs Hughes. | |
Mr Green's grandmother was safe, but he saw a Red Cross worker at Mrs Hughes' door and went to help. | |
She came to the door wearing her night clothes and slippers. | |
"I think you need to come with us," Mr Green told her. | |
At that point the flood water was flowing but had not reached kerb height. It was a foot away from her house, Mr Green said. | |
"She was eating her breakfast," Mr Green told the inquest. | |
"She looked like she gave it some thought, she weighed it up but she decided not to... and closed the door." | |
He added: "She looked like she weighed up the pros and cons of it." | |
Mr Green told the hearing Mrs Hughes looked "warm and cosy". | |
"She was old but she understood what I was asking her to do," he said. "There was no misunderstanding." | |
Mr Green said that just 90 minutes later the "freezing" water had reached chest height in his grandmother's house. | |
The hearing continues. |