Sir Bobby Charlton’s cause of death is revealed after Manchester United great dies aged 86

FOOTBALL Sir Bobby Charlton’s cause of death is revealed after Manchester United great dies aged 86

Mark Kinyanjui 16:45 - 01.11.2023

The 1966 World Cup winner, who has a statue of him erected outside Old Trafford for his incredible contributions to the club, had been confined to a care home since July.

The 1966 World Cup winner, who has a statue of him erected outside Old Trafford for his incredible contributions to the club, had been confined to a care home since July.

Manchester United and England great Sir Bobby Charlton died after accidentally falling and hitting a windowsill at a care home where he was battling dementia, an inquest has heard.

The former midfielder, who won the World Cup in 1966, lost his balance as he stood up from his chair and struck a windowsill and “possibly a radiator”, Cheshire Coroner's Court heard.

Staff performed a full-body check at the time and noted no visible injuries, and initially found 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.

He was then taken to the local hospital before being moved to Macclesfield General Hospital.

A chest X-ray and CT scan revealed he'd fractured his ribs and was likely to develop pneumonia.

Doctors agreed that he should be put on end-of-life care at the hospital, the inquest heard. He died on October 21, five days after his fall, at the age of 86.

The gifted footballer, who was born in Ashington, Northumberland, on October 11 1937, is widely viewed as one of the greatest players to ever grace the game and played an integral role in England's 1966 World Cup glory. 

Following his death, Sir Geoff Hurst - who famously scored a hat-trick in England's 4-2 victory over West Germany at Wembley - is now the only member of the team still alive. 

It was heard that Sir Bobby was “unsteady on his feet, especially when standing from a seated position”  as a result of his living with dementia.

The inquest, held in Warrington, heard Sir Bobby had an extensive medical history, which included an appendix removal, gout, a urine infection and chest infections.

The inquest heard he had also contracted Covid-19 in September.

Tamara Simmons, manager at the care home, said Sir Bobby 'needed support with all aspects of daily living.'

The inquest heard 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 Devonish ruled that Sir Bobby's death was accidental.

She gave his cause of death as: Traumatic hemopneumothorax; A fall; Alzheimer's/dementia.

His death also sparked a call for action by Alzheimer's Research UK, who said there are “no treatments available in the UK to slow, stop or prevent the diseases that cause dementia”.

Sir Bobby is survived by his wife Lady Norma, their two daughters Suzanne and Andrea and grandchildren.

Chief executive Hilary Evans said: “It's absolutely devastating that Sir Bobby's final years were blighted by dementia, but unfortunately this is the case for almost one million people in the UK today.

“At Alzheimer's Research UK, we are determined to change the ending for everyone affected by dementia by finding a cure, and the awful news about Sir Bobby highlights that we don't have a moment to waste.

“Our thoughts are with Sir Bobby Charlton's family, and all those who loved him, following the tragic news that he has died with dementia.

“Sir Bobby was a hero and so many of us have great memories from his impressive career on the pitch.

“He will be greatly missed and we send his family our sympathies.”

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