A man has made a breakthrough in his campaign for a new inquest into the death of his mother. Chris Thornton, 33, of Wesley Place, Silsden, is writing to the Lord Chancellor to request that the inquest into the death of his mother, Janet Thornton, is re-opened.

Mother of six Mrs Thornton, who lived in Denby Road, Keighley, died in February 1997, aged 54, after suffering a brain haemorrhage following a fall. An inquest at Bradford coroner's court, which was adjourn-ed three times, recorded a verdict of accidental death last August.

But Mr Thornton claims that the inquest and the police investigation did not look into the circumstances surrounding his mother's death in sufficient detail. Mr Thornton says: "We haven't even mourned her death yet. There's too many unanswered questions."

Mr Thornton made official complaints to West Yorkshire police and the Police Complaints Authority, but they said there was nothing further that could be done and the complaint was dropped. Mr Thorn-ton, feeling there was nowhere left to turn, wrote to MP Ann Cryer. He says: "I was just asking for help, for support.

"She was helpful really. That's when I started to get a bit of hope. I thought 'at last'. She gave my concerns to the Attorney General and he immediately wrote back."

Mr Thornton was advised to send the transcripts of the inquest to the Attorney General so that he could decide if a judicial review was appropriate. He was also advised to get legal representation.

Mrs Thornton, who was recovering from heart surgery, died at Leeds General Infirmary following surgery to attempt to remove the blood clot on her brain. She had spent the weekend with her partner Steven Walker at the home of Mr Walker's brother in Kent. When they returned to Keighley early on the Sunday morning Mrs Thornton was already unconcious on the back seat.

At the inquest the coroner, Mr Roger Whittaker, heard that at around midnight on the Saturday night Mrs Thornton, during an argument with Mr Walker, fell and banged her head causing a subdural haemorrhage.

Not wanting to disturb his brother's family with the argument and not realising anything was wrong, Mr Walker then drove with Mrs Thornton back to Keighley. Mr Walker said during the journey Mrs Thornton was sick near the Dartford Tunnel and fell over while at Trowell services.

The coroner decided to adjourn the inquest to obtain statements from the staff at the service station who witnessed the fall. The coroner also heard how the post mortem revealed a large number of bruises on Mrs Thornton's body which initially lead the Home Office pathologist, Dr John Clark, to suspect Mrs Thornton had been assaulted and to call in the police.

He also stated that the thyroid cartilage in her throat was fractured. Dr Clark stated that the broken cartilage raised his suspicions as that type of injury was "usually caused by someone squeezing the throat."

When the inquest was resumed in September, 1997, Dr Clark, while being questioned by the coroner, stated that the injury to Mrs Thornton's throat certainly did not cause her death but added that he was concerned about it as "it may have been part of an assault which led to her head injury."

When the inquest was again resumed in August of last year, Det Supt Brian Taylor said the transcripts of interviews with Mr Walker, his brother and his sister-in-law had been forwarded to the Crown Prosecution Service which had decided there was no case against Mr Walker.

At this third stage of the inquest Mr Thornton, representing his family, accused the police of failing to bring forward vital witnesses and called for the inquest to be adjourned for these witnesses to be called. The coroner refused to adjourn the inquest and recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Mr Thornton vows that he is determined to get to the bottom of what happened to his mother. He says: "I don't care how long it takes."

Coroner Roger Whittaker says: "This is a matter that was dealt with in court. The matter is at an end. I told Mr Thornton there was no appeal against a coroner's verdict and that he would have apply for a judicial review."

Det Supt Brian Taylor says he cannot comment on the case or any complaints Mr Thornton may have on the investigation because of the judicial proceedings that may occur if and when Mr Thornton appeals.

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