A NURSE killed her mother by hitting her over the head with an ornamental shire horse, a court heard today.

Jennifer Shelton, 56, fatally injured her mother Bertha Martin, 84, by striking her over the head with the ceramic horse on June 17 last year.

Mrs Martin, of Woodlands Road, Cleadon, Sunderland, died of a brain haemorrhage a week later at South Tyneside General Hospital.

A post mortem examination showed that Mrs Martin, who was suffering from leukaemia, had sustained an injury with a very specific pattern on the right side of her head.

The bruising was consistent with the shape of the back hoof of the ceramic horse, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The broken leg of the horse was later found by police hidden inside a sewing basket in the house Shelton had shared with her mother.

Alistair MacDonald, prosecuting said: "Bertha Martin was killed by the consequences of a blow to the head delivered by her daughter Jennifer Shelton.

"The blow was made with a weapon in the form of a pottery foal or a horse. The nature of the injury is in keeping with forceful contact having been made with the underside of the horse and Mrs Martin's head."

Ms Shelton, also of Woodlands Road, Sunderland, denies murder.

She appeared distressed and agitated, and collapsed in the dock as the case against her was read out.

Mr MacDonald told the jury that Shelton, a heavy drinker who suffered from mental health problems, had effectively admitted killing her mother after she was taken to hospital.

Mr MacDonald said that on June 21, 2008, three days before Mrs Martin's death, Shelton had told nurses at South Tyneside General Hospital: "My mother is dying; my mother will never forgive me. God will never forgive me."

"She said she had lost her mother, the only person who had ever loved her, and she shouldn't have done it," Mr MacDonald said.

"She was in effect admitting she had killed her mother."

A note was also found in the family home simply reading: "Dear Mam, forgive me."