AN 81-YEAR-old woman with dementia died after a choking episode at a care home.

An inquest at Herefordshire Coroner's Court heard Janet Scarrett had been a resident at Pencombe Hall Care Home near Bromyard since 2014.

On September 7 of last year she had eaten her lunch with a carer assisting.

Mrs Scarrett had then started to walk around for about 20 minutes before one of the carers thought she looked unwell. Staff assisted and she was found to be choking.

An ambulance was called but she died at Hereford County Hospital later that day.

Her cause of death was listed as choking, a hypoxic brain injury and dementia.

Coroner Mark Bricknell said from the evidence it is not obvious what she choked on but added: "There has been previous evidence of drinking independently after her meal and that may have occurred on this one occasion."

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.