A brave mother who dedicated her life to campaigning for change after her daughter was viciously murdered in a park in Bacup 15 years ago died as a result of a rare complication following essential surgery, just weeks after one of her daughter's killers was set free.
Sylvia Lancaster, who had been living in Rochdale before her tragic death, devoted her life to campaigning against hate and intolerance after her daughter Sophie was assaulted in Stubbylee Park in the early hours of August 11, 2007 by a gang of drunken teens for the way she was dressed.
The 20-year-old was brutally kicked and stamped on as she tried to protect boyfriend Robert Maltby when the pair were attacked over their gothic appearance. She remained in hospital for almost two weeks, before Sylvia had to make the heartbreaking decision to take her child off life support, after doctors said the young woman had no chance of survival. She died 20 minutes later.
An inquest at Blackburn Old Town Hall this afternoon, October 12, heard that Rawtenstall-born Sylvia died aged 69 at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital on the morning of April 12 this year after she developed sudden and unexpected catastrophic bleeding, according to our sister paper LancsLive.
The court heard how the mum, who was described doctors as "lovely" and "always smiling", had suffered from peripheral vascular disease and diabetes, and had had to have her right leg amputated in 2018. She returned to hospital for further surgery in December last year, due to suffering gangrene in her left foot.
Area Coroner Richard Taylor said: “When she went back into hospital in December 2021, it was clear that something needed to be done urgently - her foot was dying.” Highlighting how the choice was either amputation or further surgery to save her limb, he said the choice was a ‘difficult decision,’ adding: “Doctors tell me that most patients would rather save the limb than lose a limb,’ adding: “That’s a perfectly rational and proper decision that she made.”
Due to her veins not being in a good state, the coroner said she had to have a synthetic vein introduced during surgery, with the wound from the operation initially said to be doing well. However, Sylvia then went back to hospital in March this year, and needed a blood transfusion and antibiotics and her wound appeared to have become infected.
The hearing heard how she came in suffering only from shortness of breath and fatigue, and, being found to be anaemic, was given a blood transfusion and antibiotics, as well as oxygen due to low levels. Yet in an unexpected turn of events, Sylvia suddenly developed catastrophic bleeding, the court was told, sadly passing away just before 8am on April 12.
Her son, Adam Lancaster, who was present at the inquest, told the hearing that the family received a phone call telling them that she had passed away at around 7.50am, while the court was told that her death was officially registered at 10.58am. Area Coroner Mr Taylor told the hearing that there were "no signs" beforehand of any swelling or bleeding, adding: “The last thing that the medics expected was for catastrophic bleeding to occur on April 12.”
Mr Taylor recorded a medical conclusion of hypovolemic shock, which he said would cause the heart to stop, massive haemorrhage from the site of the bypass operation which had taken place in December 2021. There was also an underlying cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, he said, with a narrative conclusion required.
He added: “Sylvia Helen Lancaster died on 12 April, 2022, at Royal Blackburn Hospital from a known, rare complication of essential vascular surgery undertaken on December 18, 2021.” Turning to her grieving family, he added: “Please accept my sincerest condolences for your loss and thank you for coming today.”
Offering his heartfelt condolences to her grieving family, Dr Ahmed Elmetwally, Consultant of Vascular and Endovascular surgery at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, also said, during the hearing: “She was a lovely lady and she was always smiling.”
Despite the horror of losing her daughter 15 years ago, Sylvia dedicated most of her life since that horrific day to a prolific campaign aiming to tackle issues of intolerance and battling hate crime, setting up the Sophie Lancaster Foundation and being hugely active in projects linked to education, police forces, the law, prisons, conferences, arts, music, radio and TV.
Ryan Herbert, of Bacup, was jailed for life in 2008 along with Brendan Harris for murdering Sophie in the 'sustained and vicious attack' which occurred after the pair and four other teens brutally attacked her boyfriend, Mr Maltby, and Sophie had rushed to help him. However, the Parole Board decided earlier this year that Herbert, aged 16 when he was sentenced, could be released on licence, due to having made 'exceptional progress' in jail.
He was released just weeks before Sylvia passed away. Sylvia Lancaster's funeral was held at Whitworth in May. News of her death was carried far and wide, including in rock music media such as Kerrang and Louder Than War. Mourners at her funeral included actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Sylvia in a BBC film.
She had been awarded an OBE in 2014, in recognition of her work for ‘community cohesion - especially in reduction of hate crime' and received honorary doctorates from the University of Bolton and the University of Surrey. In 2017, a BBC3 drama called Murdered for Being Different was broadcast in with a focus on Robert Maltby's experiences. A symbolic rose bush, the Sylvia Lancaster rose bush, was planted in the Rossendale park, Stubbylee Park, in memory of her in August.
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