Olive Martin woke up in the mortuary after a seizure at home, an inquest has heard (Picture: Durham Police/PA Wire)
A mother who was mistakenly declared dead following a seizure at home later woke up in the mortuary, an inquest has heard.
Olive Martin, 54, was making toast in her Darlington home when she suffered a seizure and collapsed on October 13.
Emergency services went to her house and paramedics took her to Darlington Hospital Mortuary, instead of A&E.
Morgue staff were shocked to discover that she was still alive when she arrived at the mortuary.
Olive died from brain damage a short time later, the inquest at Crook Coroner’s Court heard.
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Her family previously paid tribute to her saying: ‘Our Mam will always be remembered for her kind heart, her infectious personality and her positivity day in and day out.
‘She was our warrior, and she will be deeply missed by every person she has ever met. We would request privacy at this difficult time.’
Tom Barclay Semple, representing Olive’s family, told the hearing that she went two hours without receiving any treatment and asked if the outcome would have been different if she had been taken straight to hospital.
Coroner Jeremy Chipperfield told the court that he did not know how long Olive had been starved of oxygen when she was found in her home.
Olive was taken to Darlington Hospital Mortuary instead of A&E (Picture: Getty Images)
Mr Semple responded: ‘We know that when Olive was found in her kitchen, she had put toast in her toaster.
‘That was the day when she was expected to go to work.
‘If that was when she was having her seizure, we can extrapolate (estimate) from that.’
He also said it would be possible to work backwards from the time of day and her body temperature.
John Gray, representing Durham Constabulary at Crook Coroner’s Court told the court that there had been evidence of ‘brain function’ and of Olive ‘responding to stimuli either by verbal or gripping’ in the mortuary.
James Donnelly, representing the North East Ambulance Service, also said there were ‘some signs of life’ when Olive was at the morgue.
Durham Constabulary investigated the death at the time but confirmed there would be no criminal charges.
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Andrew Hodge, Director of Paramedicine at North East Ambulance Service, previously said: ‘As soon as we were made aware of this incident, we opened an investigation and contacted the patient’s family.
‘We are deeply sorry for the distress that this has caused them. A full review of this incident is being undertaken and we are unable to comment any further at this stage.
‘The colleagues involved are being supported appropriately.’
The inquest has been adjourned until 2pm on January 30, 2026.
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