A SON who blamed himself for his mum’s death spoke of his relief yesterday at finding out there was nothing he could have done to save her.

Kyle McDougall said he blamed himself because he was present when his mum Penny McDougall collapsed on April 7 at his home in Austin Place, Abingdon.

Oxfordshire Coroner Darren Salter gave a verdict of natural causes at an inquest into her death yesterday at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court.

The 58-year-old grandmother and former Abingdon Town councillor was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest.

She had a second cardiac arrest in hospital before her death at 7.25pm.

Mr McDougall, 27, said: “It was great to see in writing and hear from the coroner that all the people who dealt with her appeared to be doing their best.

“I initially blamed myself because I was there, but to hear that I couldn’t have done any more is a relief.

“I don’t know how the nurses in the adult Intensive Care Unit do their job, but they were amazing.

“It would be good to say thank you to the massive amount of people who supported us and who made a shocking and difficult time easier to deal with.”

Ms McDougall had been staying with her eldest son while her house in Didcot was being renovated.

Her family said she fell ill the day before from what they thought might have been food poisoning.

But Mr Salter gave a medical cause of death yesterday as bowel ischemia and obstruction due to diverticulitis – a digestive condition.

He added: “I would like to offer my sympathies to you and the family for a very unexpected event which was obviously very difficult to deal with because of that.”

Mr McDougall said he didn’t believe his mum knew about the condition.

Her sister Lynne McDougall said yesterday: “I’d like to add my thanks to everyone who has supported us.”

About 70 friends, family and colleagues paid their respects at her funeral on April 23.

Mr McDougall said he stood outside St Helen’s Church, Abingdon, and asked Reverend John Coombs if there was anyone there. He said: “He just laughed and said the church was almost full.”

He thanked Mr Coombs who came out of retirement to conduct the service.

Ms McDougall served on the town council as a Liberal Democrat from May 2011 until she stepped down in March this year.

She is survived by her mother Betty Borland, 89, a resident at Abingdon Court care home, her two sons Kyle and Ross, 26, daughter-in-law Nikki, 28 – Kyle’s wife – as well as her sister Lynne Dance, 62, and two-year-old grandson Kye.