A pensioner has died after she was knocked to the ground by two arguing women while she was doing her Christmas shopping in Oxford.

The 75-year-old woman, who had not been named last night, was with her daughter at the junction of Queen Street and St Ebbe’s Street in the city centre at about 1.45pm on Monday when she walked past two women who were believed to be arguing about a dog.

One of the women fell into her and the pensioner was knocked to the ground outside Bhs, banging her head on the pavement, said a witness.

Passers-by offered to help but the OAP did not want an ambulance and was taken home. Her condition worsened later in the day and her family took her to the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington, where she died after doctors found she had suffered serious head injuries in the fall.

A 35-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of manslaughter was in police custody last night.

A 21-year-old shop worker, who saw the incident, said: “Two people were fighting but it wasn’t much more than a heated argument.

“The woman was walking past and seemed to get in the way. One of them pushed the other and she fell into the old lady.

“She landed on top of her and the back of her head thumped the ground. It was quite a bump but she seemed all right. Everyone was very apologetic.

“Her daughter and I took her into Bhs and sat her down. She didn’t want an ambulance and went home.

“I feel shocked. I was shaken when the police told me she had died.”

Thames Valley Police spokesman Toby Shergold said that officers went to the scene but the pensioner said she did not want them to call an ambulance.

The force has now referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission as a matter of procedure, because officers had spoken to the woman and she had subsequently died.

Officers cordoned off part of Queen Street on Monday evening to launch an investigation. Yesterday, police returned to the scene to speak to shoppers and shop staff to find witnesses.

John Irvin, 49, whose stall is at the top of St Ebbe’s Street, said: “She was out shopping with her daughter doing day-to-day things and next she’s dead. You never think you’re going to go like that – it’s awful.”

Shopper Martin Charlett, 40, of Bicester, said: “It’s horrible. Older people should be treated with a bit more respect.”

Det Ch Insp Colin Paine said: “The incident has had tragic consequences, with this elderly wo-man losing her life. I appeal to anyone who was in this area of Oxford and witnessed the incident to contact police immediately.”

The results of a post mortem and a formal identification were ex-pected to be completed today.

Anyone with information should call Oxford police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.