Jackie Sayce died after being sent home from Southampton General Hospital

Jackie Sayce, pictured below, began suffering aches in her body the day after celebrating her 49th birthday.

But when she was taken to Southampton General Hospital doctors sent her home with antibiotics for a mild toothache, a coroner’s court was told.

Days later her 18-year-old daughter found her dead in her bedroom.

A post-mortem examination concluded that she had died from an aortic dissection, where a tube carrying blood around her body split in two, leaving only half of her body with enough blood.

But Mrs Sayce’s family believe that doctors should never have sent her home without carrying out more tests that might have detected her medical problem and possibly saved her life.

Southampton coroner Keith Wiseman was told how the previously fit and healthy mum began feeling unwell while driving home from her shop, 1925 Jewellery and Gifts in Lymington.

The court heard how her 18-year-old daughter Sian was at home in Holbury when she arrived back on January 19 of this year.

In a statement read to the court, she said: “Suddenly mum came bursting through the door and ran straight past me into the living room and said her belly really hurt.

“I followed her into the living room and saw her lowering herself to the floor in what I can only describe as agony.”

She said as her mum’s pain – which had started in her mouth before moving down her back into her abdomen – increased she called an ambulance.

The inquest heard that while in the accident and emergency department doctors asked about her pain and began focusing on her dental history.

Mrs Sayce was then sent to see the hospital dentist, who found a mildly infected tooth.

Giving evidence, on-call dentist Alistair Morton said: “Whether or not that was the only cause of Mrs Sayce’s symptoms I am not in a position to say.

“I was concerned that there was possibly another cause – but I am not medically qualified.”

Mrs Sayce was discharged from hospital with no further tests, the inquest heard, even though Sian felt that her mum was still feeling “sick and clammy”.

Emergency registrar Ursula Mehta said in evidence that Mrs Sayce’s pulse and breathing rate were found to be normal but no chest X-rays and blood tests were carried out.

Dr Mehta added that she made no complaint of sudden severe chest pain, her symptoms had settled and she was happy to be discharged.

However the inquest heard how during the next three days Mrs Sayce continued to be unwell, sleeping through most of the day.

On the evening of January 23 she was found dead in her bedroom by Sian, who tried in vain to revive her.

Coroner Keith Wiseman adjourned the inquest until later this month.