A DEVOTED son performed CPR in a bid to save his mother after she collapsed in her Dalton home, an inquest heard.

Biomedical scientist Steven Boardman tried desperately to save widow Audrey Anne Boardman’s life as she suffered a heart attack in her hallway, but the 84-year-old died shortly after paramedics arrived at the scene.

An inquest into the former Avon lady’s death at Barrow Town Hall heard how neighbour Christine Barrow raised the alarm using a red cord system Mr Boardman had installed in his mother’s Romney Avenue home just one day before she died.

Mrs Boardman, a much-loved grandmother and mother-of-two, had a history of medical issues, including heart problems and diabetes. Her condition had deteriorated in the year leading up to her death on December 16 last year.

Mr Boardman, aged 58, of Red Lane, Ulverston, told the hearing: “She would get breathlessness attacks and they started becoming more regular, every time we were with her. Sometimes she could sort it out using a spray from the doctor, but we were becoming concerned.

“At that point we decided to implement the alarm system because mum lived alone. I tried to call in most days or at least speak to her if I could but I couldn’t be there all the time.”

The inquest heard that Mrs Boardman had been suffering from shallow breathing and waited for her neighbour to call around to keep an eye on her before taking a shower on the afternoon of her death.

That was when her attack began and the neighbour alerted Mr Boardman. He arrived at his mother’s house within minutes.

Paul O’Donnell, assistant coroner for Cumbria, said: “On the day a neighbour alerted Steven and he administered CPR. Paramedics attended but sadly she passed away soon thereafter.”

Mrs Boardman had been born in Lancashire before she moved to Barrow. Married to Terry, they had two children - Steven and Karen - and she had four grandchildren.

She had been a mill worker, an office worker and was known to many in her neighbourhood as the Avon catalogue lady during her working life. When her death was announced, her family said she would be "loved forever".

The coroner recorded the verdict as death from natural causes.