A great-grandmother died aged 101 after a fall at her residential home in Attleborough, an inquest heard yesterday.

Doreen Davey was found in her room at St Edmund's Home in Surrogate Street after falling during the evening of May 13.

An ambulance was called but she died in hospital on May 16 – exactly two years after her husband had died.

Yesterday her eldest son, Martin Davey, 69, paid tribute to his 'exceptionally good mother' and praised the home for their work.

He said: 'I have particularly high regard for them and would not want them to feel responsible for my mother's death in any way.'

Mr Davey, of Saham Toney, near Watton, said his mother worked as a midwife in London and Herefordshire. She moved to the care home with her husband, Norman, in March 2009 but he died two months later.

Last year she celebrated her 100th birthday with a party at the home and at Broome Hall, in Saham Toney. She had three sons, seven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and a further two expected.

The Norwich inquest heard relief carer Kelly Hampson found Mrs Davey, who had been suffering with senile dementia, on the floor of her room. She said: 'She did use a three-wheeler, but there were occasions when she walked without it and we would have to assist her back to it. She tried to avoid it if possible. She was very independent.'

Norfolk coroner William Armstrong said it was right to reflect on her long and remarkable life as he recorded her death as the result of a fall.