Darlington patient wrongly declared dead has now actually died

The North East Ambulance Service said it had "sent condolences" to the family

A woman who was declared dead before waking up in hospital has now actually died, police said.

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) had apologised for the "distress" to the family and said an inquiry was under way.

The woman, in her 50s, was pronounced dead by paramedics before waking up at Darlington Memorial Hospital on Friday.

Durham Police said the woman's later actual death was "unexpected" and post-mortem tests would be be carried out.

NEAS's director of paramedicine, Andrew Hodge, said the trust had contacted the woman's family "as soon as we were made aware of this incident".

He said a "review into the circumstances" had been started.

Critical

"The paramedics on scene were faced with a complex clinical case and we are working closely with our partners and other agencies to understand the full picture," he said.

"We are deeply sorry for the distress that this has caused to the family and have sent them our condolences. We are supporting them through this process."

He said the "colleagues involved are also being supported appropriately" and that he was unable to comment any further.

Earlier this year a critical report was published into how NEAS ambulance workers had covered up failings and withheld evidence from inquests.

The families of a teenager and a 62-year-old man were not told that paramedics' responses to their loved ones' deaths were being investigated by NEAS.

Following the report's publication, NEAS apologised "for any distress caused to the families" by its past mistakes.