Blackpool: Mum who let daughter starve to death snubs inquest

The inquest at Blackpool Town Hall heard from Dr Alison Armour, a consultant pathologist at the Royal Preston Hospital, that the cause of death was severe emaciation and neglect.

She also had a severe Norwegian scabies mite skin infection.

There was no sign of any heart disease but she was found covered in faeces at the time of her death, the inquest heard.

Ms Leitch weighed just under four stone (25kg) at the time of her death, having previously been over ten stone (63kg), the inquest was told.

Dr Armour said her debilitation worsened because of lack of food, meaning she could no longer function.

She said she could not rule out Ms Leitch having been dead for up to 24 hours before she was found, and said it was very difficult to give a precise time of death.

Paramedic John Wilkinson, from North West Ambulance Service, said he went to the house in response to a report a woman had gone into cardiac arrest.

He said he found Ms Leitch in an “unnatural position” on the floor of the very untidy room, in which he saw maggots.