This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The son of a woman who died from hypothermia when she became locked in an airing cupboard at her holiday apartment is suing the resort company that runs the complex.

Elizabeth Isherwood, a former police officer, fought to free herself after a door knob broke.

She clawed through brickwork and plaster in an attempt to escape, using a pipe she had broken as a chisel to try to cut through the walls, but water spraying from the pipe drenched her, accelerating the hypothermia.

Isherwood’s son Craig, 33, said he was seeking compensation from Macdonald Resorts over her death.

Isherwood, 60, from Wolverhampton, became trapped on the first night of her one-week stay at Macdonald Plas Talgarth resort near Machynlleth in mid-Wales in September last year.

An inquest this year heard the part-time care worker was believed to have got up in the middle of the night and become trapped in the cupboard in the ensuite bathroom. Her body was found by staff at the end of the week.

Craig Isherwood, an RAC patrol worker, alleges Macdonald Resorts was negligent in failing to check the door handle was working properly.

“My mother died in the most terrible circumstances you could imagine. We think she had been trying to escape for several hours,” he said.

“Because of the exertion, her body temperature was sky high, but when she stopped her temperature plummeted because she was soaked, and hypothermia set in. We believe she died that night or the following day.

“She had made a hole big enough to climb through, but did not realise her way out was only blocked by a picture screwed to the other side of the wall.

“Mum was fit and healthy and had years of a very happy life ahead of her. She enjoyed looking after my two daughters.”

Isherwood’s lawyer, Adam Wilson of FBC Manby Bowdler, said: “We believe that this was a tragedy which could, and should, have been avoided. It is impossible to imagine the distress that Mrs Isherwood must have gone through as she tried to free herself.”

Isherwood, known as Mary to relatives and friends, was staying alone for the final time at the complex after the family agreed to sell its share in the timeshare apartment.

The inquest ruled Isherwood, who was not wearing any clothes when she got up to go to the bathroom, died of misadventure.

A spokesperson for Macdonald Resorts said: “This was clearly a tragedy for Ms Isherwood and her family and our condolences go out to them. Given the possibility of legal action, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”