A 79-year-old pensioner died after falling while walking from her care home to the shops to buy bread – despite staff being told not to take her out without a wheelchair, an inquest heard.

Joan Bloore was a resident of Hartlands Rest Home in Whitehall Street, Shrewsbury.

She went with carer Naomi Morris to the Spar shop, in Monkmoor Road, but fell and banged her head outside.

Mrs Bloore, who had been a resident for less than two months, was taken to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital after the fall on March 4 but died of a brain haemorrhage and pneumonia four days later.

An inquest in Wem today heard from care home managers that Miss Morris, of Bayston Hill, did not take Mrs Bloore in a wheelchair.

Giving evidence, Miss Morris, who has worked there since 2009, said she was never made aware of Mrs Bloore’s risk assessment, which stated that due to mobility problems she should not go on outings without a wheelchair.

Miss Morris said Mrs Bloore, who was using a zimmer frame in ‘wintry conditions’, fell as they approached the shop.

Asked by coroner Mr John Ellery whether she had been told about residents’ care plans or risk assessments, Miss Morris replied: “They were kept in residents’ files and we were allowed to read them whenever we wanted.

“But there was not always time to do it.”

It emerged in evidence that Miss Morris had previously taken another resident on foot to the shop. Home managers told the inquest it was common for residents to go to the Netto store in Abbey Foregate as it was nearer and wheelchair-friendly.

The inquest heard senior managers instructed Miss Morris to ensure she took Mrs Bloore to the shop in a wheelchair but Miss Morris insisted she had not heard their request. Anne Sargeant, care home manager, said procedures had now been changed and were ‘watertight’.

Janet Shaw, one of Mrs Bloore’s daughters questioned the wisdom of taking her to the shops when the purpose was to buy bread for the home. She said her mother did not have winter clothes at the home, had swollen feet and should not have been walking.

The hearing is expected to conclude this afternoon.