A FRAIL widow died after an ambulance crew breached safety rules and failed to strap her into her wheelchair, an inquest heard.

Her family vowed yesterday to pursue legal action after the ambulance service involved described the incident as "disappointing."

Emily Forte suffered serious head injuries when she was catapulted out of her wheelchair when the ambulance driver braked suddenly.

The inquest in Newcastle heard that the crew had bolted the chair to the floor of the ambulance but had failed to strap Mrs Forte, 84, into it, despite that being compulsory practice.

Now, her son David plans to sue the service to prevent a repeat of what happened.

Arthur Lemin, director of patient transport services for the North-East Ambulance Service, said it prided itself on a previoulsy good accident record.

"The failure to strap Mrs Forte in was very disappointing and very sad for the family involved.

"I would be confident that all our staff have, and continue to follow, the procedures. This was something that should not have happened. It was an isolated incident."

The inquest heard how Mrs Forte was being driven by ambulance from Donwell Nursing Home in Donwell, Washington, Tyne and Wear, to the town's Galleries day care centre, in July last year.

Mrs Forte, who suffered from diabetes, arthritis and brittle bones, was thrown out of her chair, smashing her head on a metal oxygen bottle.

She died the following month in Newcastle General Hospital from a combination of existing illnesses and problems relating to the head injury.

Ambulance driver Derek Brewis, who had 38 years service exprience, said: "We had been given training on restraints. I realised the harness should have been put on."

Coroner David Mitford recorded a verdict of accidental death