PENSIONER Rita Gibson is suing the Co-op after her life was ruined by a falling Fray Bentos steak and kidney pie.

The tin was stacked on a high shelf and landed on Mrs Gibson's head as she struggled to reach it.

Mrs Gibson, 72, from Monkseaton, North Tyneside, said the pies were stacked 6ft high, and at 5ft in her flat shoes, she had to stand on tip-toes to reach it.

The pie slipped from her out-stretched fingers and landed on her head bouncing, on to her face, smashing her glasses and cutting her cheek.

The mother-of-two is now trying to find the mystery man who helped her to a seat after her ordeal.

She has taken out adverts in local newspapers but so far has been unable to make contact with him.

Since the accident, Mrs Gibson said her life had been a misery. She suffers blinding headaches and dizzy spells, is unable to do the gardening at home and finds it difficult to walk up and down stairs.

Her GP has prescribed pills for neuralgia, which is believed to have been caused by nerve damage from the accident.

She has taken legal advice and plans to bring a case against the Co-op for personal injury due to negligence, claiming the shelf was stacked dangerously high.

She is determined she will win damages from the chain in compensation for the accident, which happened at the store in North Shields, North Tyneside, on May 2, 2002.

The company said it had investigated the allegation and found it was not to blame.

A spokesman said: "We are aware of Mrs Gibson's case, but we carried out a full investigation at the time and the Co-op has denied liability from the start."