• A woman is taken to the morgue before her death is confirmed
• Remains untreated for two hours and dies later

An inquest heard that a woman, who was taken to a morgue instead of the emergency department, then woke up hours later, had received no treatment for two hours.

Olive Martin, 54, from Darlington, collapsed in her home on 13 October 2023, with police and paramedics attending the scene.

She is believed to have suffered a seizure, and paramedics took her to Darlington Hospital Mortuary rather than A&E, thinking she had died.

Mortuary staff discovered upon her arrival that she was still alive, with reports stating that she woke up before later dying from brain damage.

In a statement, her family said: "Our mother will always be remembered for her kind heart, her cheerful personality, and her daily positivity. She was a fighter for us, and she will be missed by everyone who knew her. We ask for privacy at this difficult time."

Tom Barclay Semple, representing the family, told the inquest that Martin went two hours without treatment, questioning whether the outcome would have been different had she been taken to A&E rather than the mortuary.

"There was a window of opportunity where no medical care was provided, and there was a real and immediate risk to her life," he added.

Coroner Jeremy Chipperfield explained that it was unknown how long Martin had been deprived of oxygen before emergency services arrived.

Barclay Semple noted that toast had been in the toaster, suggesting she had been preparing to go to work when the seizure occurred.

James Donnelly from the ambulance service said that Olive showed "some signs of life" while in the mortuary, while John Gray from Durham Constabulary confirmed "brain function" in the form of verbal or gripping responses to stimuli.

Durham Constabulary concluded their investigation into Martin’s death last year without filing charges, according to media reports.

Andrew Hodge, Director of Paramedicine at North East Ambulance Service, said: "As soon as we became aware of the incident, we launched an investigation and contacted the patient’s family. We deeply regret the distress caused by this incident. A full review is underway, and the colleagues involved are receiving appropriate support."

The inquest has been adjourned until 30 January next year.