A mother with a tragic past died a month after undergoing cardiac surgery, an inquest heard.

Eastern Daily Press: Sandra Hammond-Grant lights a candle in memory of her daughter Cassie Turnton at Lynn Minster in 2014 . Picture: Matthew Usher.Sandra Hammond-Grant lights a candle in memory of her daughter Cassie Turnton at Lynn Minster in 2014 . Picture: Matthew Usher. (Image: © Archant Norfolk 2015)

Sandra Hammond-Grant, 54, attended the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn on January 8 with chest pains.

A month before, on December 9, she underwent surgery for a ruptured aortic aneurysm at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire and was discharged on December 29.

An inquest at King's Lynn Coroners' Court heard that at the time she was discharged from Papworth Hospital she had not shown any sign of infection.

Ms Hammond-Grant, who lived in Meadow Close, Estuary Road, King's Lynn, contacted her GP complaining of chest pains, vomiting and shortness of breath. After being initially treated by the Southgate and The Woottons Surgeries, she was advised to call the ambulance.

But whilst at the QEH, Ms Hammond-Grant's condition quickly deteriorated after developing an infection.

Despite being given a number of antibiotics to fight it, Ms Hammond-Grant died in hospital on January 17.

Area coroner Yvonne Blake said the cause of death was recorded as sepsis, due to staphylococcus aureus (a type of bacteria) due to a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm.

Looking at Ms Hammond-Grant's medical history, Ms Blake said a connective tissue disorder she suffered from - called Loeys-Dietz syndrome - made her prone to aortic problems.

Ms Hammond-Grant's inquest was attended by her family and friends, including brother Gary Hammond who told the court she had been discharged from Papworth Hospital two weeks earlier than expected.

As there were no witnesses called to the inquest to answer questions, Ms Blake said she strongly advised the family to contact the hospital to find answers.

Ms Blake gave a narrative conclusion at the end of the inquest, stating Ms Hammond-Grant had a cardiac surgery in December 2017, developed a wound infection within days of being discharged and died as a result of it.

She said to the family: 'I'm very sorry, it must have been horrible considering she'd been through so much.'

Sandra Hammond-Grant made national headlines in previous years for raising awareness of mental health problems, after her pregnant daughter Cassandra Turton died from taking an overdose in 2014.