Sir Bobby died after he fell and hit windowsill and radiator at his care home
SIR Bobby Charlton died after falling at the care home where he was battling dementia, an inquest has heard.
The 1966 World Cup winner lost his balance as he stood up from a chair and struck a windowsill and ‘ possibly a radiator’, Cheshire Coroner’s Court heard.
Staff performed a full- body check and noted no visible injuries, and the 86-year-old’s mobility seemed unaffected. But they later noticed swelling on his back and paramedics were called to The Willows in Knutsford, Cheshire, where he had been receiving respite care since July.
Sir Bobby was taken to hospital before being moved to Macclesfield General Hospital. A chest Xray and scan revealed he had fractured his ribs and was likely to develop pneumonia.
Doctors agreed he should be put on end- of-life care at the hospital. He died on October 21 – five days after his fall.
It was heard that Sir Bobby was ‘unsteady on his feet, especially when standing from a seated position’ as a result of living with dementia.
The inquest in Warrington heard Sir Bobby had an extensive medical history, including an appendix removal, gout, a urine infection and chest infections. He also contracted Covid in September.
Tamara Simmons, manager at the care home, said Sir Bobby ‘needed support with all aspects of daily living’. Ms Simmons said
his bed was as close to the ground as possible, with crash mats and motion sensors in place due to his restlessness making him likely to roll out of bed.
Coroner Jacqueline Devonish ruled that Sir Bobby’s death was accidental, giving the cause of death as trauma in the lungs, a fall and dementia.
Sir Bobby is survived by his wife Lady Norma and their two daughters Suzanne and Andrea.
The footballer, who was born in Ashington, Northumberland, was one of England’s greatest players, scoring 49 goals in 106 appearances and playing a crucial role in the 1966 World Cup heroics.
The son of a miner, he joined Manchester United as a schoolboy and was part of the iconic Busby Babes team.
After this death, Prince William tweeted: ‘Sir Bobby Charlton. First Division Champion. European Champion. World Champion. Gentleman. Legend. A true great who will be remembered for ever. Thank you Sir Bobby. W.’
A memorial service will be held on November 13 at Manchester Cathedral and a procession to the cathedral will pass Old Trafford.
Manchester United said: ‘The service will pay tribute to Sir Bobby’s incredible life as a husband, father, grandfather and, of course, as one of the finest footballers this country has ever produced.
‘The procession to the cathedral will pass by Old Trafford for a moment of reflection and provide an opportunity for fans to say a final farewell to a true Manchester United legend.
‘The family will then hold a private funeral ceremony for Sir Bobby and have requested privacy around the arrangements for this.’
Bundles of flowers, scarves, shirts and messages have been left at the club’s Trinity statue since his death. The club says memorabilia has ‘been carefully relocated to the Old Trafford museum and will join the tributes left by fans following the passing of Sir Matt Busby in 1994’.
‘Unsteady on his feet’