A PENSIONER suffered fatal injuries after falling backwards from an escalator at the Marks & Spencer store in Poole, an inquest heard yesterday.
The tragedy happened while widow Patricia Zimmermann, 87, from East Borough, Wimborne, was visiting the Dolphin Centre on November 28 last year.
Witness Danielle Borrough, who was working in the Marks & Spencer store at the time, said she had heard a bang coming from the direction of the escalator.
She added: “I turned and could see the lady had fallen backwards.
“My department manager turned the escalator off and I sat on the escalator with her head in my hands until a first-aider arrived.”
Mrs Zimmermann, who walked with a stick, died two days later.
A post mortem showed that she had suffered a haemorrhage due to head injuries.
The Bournemouth Coroner’s Court, which recorded an accidental death verdict, was told that an investigation by Marks & Spencer had concluded that the escalator was not faulty.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here