A FORMER marathon runner who left his sheltered accommodation in the early hours of the morning in the midst of Storm Arwen died as a result of extreme hypothermia, an inquest heard.
Dennis Jordan, 74, was found by carer Sharon Gibson at Duddon Mews, a sheltered housing scheme in Millom, at around 4.50am on November 27, lying on the ground in the garden of the bungalow in which he was living, wearing only a t-shirt and pants.
Ms Gibson called paramedics, who tried to revive Mr Jordan, who had also suffered a heart attack, before rushing him to Furness General Hospital in Barrow where he was pronounced dead at 11.21 am.
In a statement submitted to the Coroners Court in Cockermouth, Mr Jordan’s sister Maureen said he had lived in the same house on Silverdale Street in Haverigg for almost 70 years.
She said he was a private man, who had never married or had children, but was a keen marathon runner, winning several medals, and was a member of Black Combe Runners.
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Assistant Coroner for Cumbria Dr Nick Shaw also heard that Mr Jordan had ‘a long history of bipolar illness’, having been originally diagnosed in 1998.
He had suffered a long period of physical illness in early 2021, originally attending Millom hospital with a urine infection, but being diagnosed with several other conditions, including a kidney infection.
He was transferred to Furness General Hospital and Lancaster Hospital, where he spent seven weeks. His sister Maureen said she ‘didn’t think he would come out of hospital’.
He eventually moved to Duddon Mews due to his deteriorating physical and mental health.
Dr Shaw said: “He had deteriorated mentally showing signs of confusion and an increasing tendency to wander.”
On two occasions in the seven days prior to his death, Mr Jordan persistently left his room, saying he ‘didn’t belong there’’
Dr Shaw said: “Care staff and mental health workers were trying to arrange a mental health act assessment, and a process was confused and this hadn’t taken place by the time Dennis left his room shortly after 4am.”
A mental health assessment had been requested and declined twice.
Dr Shaw concluded that Mr Jordan died as a result of severe hypothermia, pre-existing heart conditions, and sub-optimally treated psychiatric illness.
