AN 84-year-old man who died in a care home last month had coronavirus, an inquest has said.

John Ernest Recker, from Darlington, died on April 11, at Riverside View Care Home in Hutton Avenue.

An inquest into his death was held yesterday to determine the cause of death.

Mr Recker, who was the former general manager of Woolworths, in Northgate, was not tested for Covid-19 prior to his death, but was suffering from a raised temperature and had been advised to isolate for seven days, the hearing heard.

Assistant coroner Leslie Hamilton recorded a natural death, caused by Covid-19 and frailty of old age.

He said he had not asked for a post mortem examination to take place because of the extra pressure on hospitals and mortuaries at present.

He said: “We recognise the pressure on hospital services and pathological staff so we are trying to limit the number of post mortems unless we really they are necessary and there is no alternative.

“We have had guidance from the chief coroner on that."

He added: "I didn't feel a post mortem would add much to the information we already have."

The inquest heard Mr Recker was seen by a community matron on April 7, when he was cold and had a temperature of 38 degrees.

He did not have a cough but it was advised he should be isolated for seven days because of his symptoms.

He was seen again two days later when he was feeling unwell and on April 10 had difficulty swallowing.

He died the following day.

An inquest was held because the doctor who completed Mr Recker’s death certificate felt unable to give a specific cause of the death.

Ruling on the cause of death, Mr Hamilton said: "No-one had any question this is not a natural death.

"I will put the cause of death as Covid-19 and frailty of old age."

Mr Recker, who was born in Bishop Auckland, was a father-of five and spent more than 30 years working for Woolworths, becoming a well-known face in Darlington.

He retired in 2009 when the company closed and had lived at Riverside View for more than six years.