A housebound pensioner died after being left to sit in a chair for a year by her own daughter.

Linda Farr, 68, was jailed for 20 months, suspended for two years, after admitting to the gross negligence manslaughter of her 86-year-old mother.

Frail Doreen Shufflebotham died on September 6 2016, after becoming increasingly unwell with a catalogue of injuries and health conditions.

She had a femur fracture, which had become infected, and suffered a pulmonary embolism, sepsis, deep-vein thrombosis and acute bacterial meningitis.

A housebound pensioner died after being left to sit in a chair for a year by her own daughter at this bungalow in Stoke-on-Trent

In a statement issued following sentencing, police said: 'Medical experts estimated that Doreen had not moved from the chair that she was sat in for 8 to 12 months.'

Three days after her mother's death, Farr, of Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, was arrested and later charged.

She was sentenced at Stafford Crown Court on Monday, having previously admitted gross negligence manslaughter.

Neighbours told how they were not even aware a second person had been living at the property inducting one resident who had lived next door for 12 years.

Her other next door neighbour said her home even had an infestation of flies after Doreen Shufflebotham had died.

Her next door neighbour said her home even had an infestation of flies after Doreen Shufflebotham had died.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'I knew her mother lived there but only by word of mouth.

'I saw her about four or five times and spoke to her two or three times.

'She told me she was looking for a smaller place because it's two bedroom and she didn't like it here, and I was the only person who ever spoke to her.

Doreen Shufflebotham died on September 6 2016, after becoming increasingly unwell with a catalogue of injuries and health conditions, Stafford Crown Court (pictured) heard

'Police interviewed me and my front room filled up with greenbottle and bluebottle flies, I said, 'they are because of a dead body'.

'They started to appear in my front room - you don't get them kind of things happen unless there is a body.

'The chair her mother sat in, they took away in a plastic container - you don't have to be a scientist to work out she was dead for a while.'

Retired pottery worker Beryl Bennison, 82, who has lived in the cul-de-sac for 24 years, said: 'She is a hermit.

'The people before moved out and a mother and daughter came but nobody sees them at all, they've been here for about ten years.

'I used to see the daughter going up town in the morning but she never spoke to anybody or mixed with anybody.'

Local residents also reacted with outrage on social media to the suspended sentence she received.

Jodie Bagnall, of Stoke-on-Trent, said: ' Is there any justice in this world? She killed her own mother and gets away with it absolutely appalling! I'd do anything to have my mother back x'

Marie Marie wrote: 'Of all the people this lady should of been able to rely on her daughter to care and help her and if she couldnt cope she could of got help for her..disgusting to think this elderly lady suffered right up to her death..words fail me'

Lisa Hannon put: 'A suspended sentence for what would of been a slow painful death !!! Get more time for nicking chocolates.'