'Wonderful' mum dies in freak accident celebrating son's 21st birthday

A 'wonderful' mum died in a freak accident on the day of her son's 21st birthday, an inquest heard.

Debbie Kirby and her husband Dan had hosted a party for their son Charlie at their home in March last year. The family played games and enjoyed a buffet before everyone left at around 8pm, Lancs Live reports.

Once everybody had left, the couple carried on dancing and enjoying themselves until about midnight. They then decided to head to bed but as Debbie was walking up the stairs she accidently fell and banged her head on a cupboard.

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The 44-year-old was rushed to hospital from their home in Lower Darwen in Lancashire where, although her condition was deemed to be 'unsurvivable', she began to show some improvement after surgery. However, on March 11, the pressure inside her skull 'increased significantly', and she died after suffering 'irreparable' brain damage.

An inquest at Preston Coroner's Court yesterday (July 18) heard that despite the best efforts of neurosurgeons at the Royal Preston Hospital, the outcome of Debbie's brain injury had been 'pre-determined' by its severity. In a statement submitted to the coroner, in which he recalled the events leading up to Debbie's fall, her husband Dan, who had been with her for 19 years, said: "Everyone was drinking and having fun.

"Debbie was drinking wine and prosecco. She drank maybe two bottles of wine and by the end of the night we were both drunk and happy but I wouldn't describe her as paralytic. At 8pm Charlie, Grace and her friend left to go to Clitheroe.

"Mine and Debbie's parents left in two taxis at around 11pm. Debbie was dancing to music in the extension room. We