Pensioner dies during police search

Police tried to resuscitate the woman

A 78-year-old woman has died while police searched her home near Staines in Surrey.

Connie Sherwood collapsed while officers from Surrey Police searched her terraced council house in Viola Avenue, Stanwell, at 0600 BST on Wednesday.

Her family said she was "frightened to death" by the dawn raid.

Her son, lorry driver David Sherwood, 40, accused officers of failing to call an ambulance immediately after his mother collapsed.

The officers went flying into the bedroom and for a little old lady like that it would have been the shock of her life

David Sherwood

The grandmother of eight - described as "a fun-loving little lady" - lived in the house with her other son Kevin and 17-year-old grandson John.

Kevin Sherwood was not in the house when the raid took place.

David Sherwood said: "She was literally frightened to death.

"The officers went flying into the bedroom and for a little old lady like that it would have been the shock of her life."

The officers knocked down the door with a battering ram and then began searching the house.

After her grandson was searched, he rushed downstairs to check on Mrs Sherwood.

'Police bemused'

Mr Sherwood said: "When he got down there, my mum was saying 'get me air, I can't breathe'.

"He asked the police officers to help him, but they just stood there, bemused."

The teenager ran down the street to his aunt's house a few doors away.

She came and saw Mrs Sherwood collapsed in a chair in the garden and said they should call for an ambulance.

Inquiry launched

Mr Sherwood said by the time the ambulance got to the house she had already died, despite the efforts of officers to resuscitate her.

Surrey Police said that it was "acting on information received" when it carried out the raid.

A statement from the force read: "Surrey Police wish to offer their condolences to the family and friends."

The Police Complaints Authority has launched an investigation into the death.