Police are investigating the deaths of two elderly women in nursing homes after they apparently became trapped between their mattresses and safety bars on their beds.

The women, both in their 80s, died in separate homes and the Crown Prosecution Service and Health and Safety Executive have been informed.

Esther Boggon, 84, died at the Brydan Court Nursing Home in South Shields, South Tyneside in January.

Detective Chief Inspector Frank Whittle, of South Shields CID, today said: ''An investigation has been carried out at the Brydan Court Nursing Home together with the Health and Safety Executive.

''A file of evidence is currently with the Crown Prosecution Service.

''It appears Mrs Boggon died after she slipped between the mattress and the bed rails and asphyxiated.''

Northumbria Police today confirmed they were also investigating the death of an unnamed 86-year-old woman at a home in south east Northumberland, after she got entangled in a bedside rail last week.

Mrs Boggon's nephew Ken Bowman, whose mother Sadie was close to her sister, said the family were very upset.

His aunt suffered Alzheimer's Disease and had lived at Brydan Court for about five years.

Mr Bowman, 40, of Boldon, South Tyneside, said widowed Mrs Boggon shattered her hip in a fall at the home. After the fracture he said her bed was adapted with a rail fitted.

He said: ''My mother just wanted her to die in peace.''

A spokeswoman for Tamaris, the national company which owns Brydan Court Nursing Home, today said: ''We await the outcome of the report and will react accordingly to the recommendations made by the Health and Safety Executive.''

Updated: 15.50 Wednesday, July 25