The heartbroken daughter of a woman who died after slipping on a carrier bag has said she has "lost her best friend".

Mary Martin, of Meadow Crescent, Upper Halling, fell face first after tripping on the plastic bag at a Poundland store and died 12 hours later.

The 83-year-old, who has 13 great-grandchildren, had been shopping for some jumpers with her daughter, Julie Dines, at the branch in Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey when she slipped.

CCTV footage from Saturday, September 15, shows the moment the mum-of-two fell and hit her head.

Mrs Martin was a retired caterer and an avid bike rider and she used to cycle to her workplace in Snodland every day.

As she got older she joined her local bowls club, HALARA, and used to play at Saxon Hall regularly.

Mum-of-two Mrs Dines said: “My mum’s passing has broken a lot of hearts.

“She was my best friend. We used to do everything together and we would talk on the phone every day.

“That is what I miss the most, our little phone calls that I can’t have anymore.

"We used to do everything together and we would talk on the phone every day..." - Julie Dines

“Whether it was shopping or popping round to see her, we would all make sure that she was fine.

“She had even been on holiday with us this year. We would never have imagined that this would happen.”

The 57-year-old recalled of that day: “Mum had just treated herself to a new microwave and a toaster at Curry’s.

“We weren’t sure about going to Poundland but she said she really wanted to have a look around.

“On the way there she told me she had thoroughly enjoyed the day.

“I never would have expected this to happen.”

An ambulance was called at the time of the fall but Mrs Dines was told there would be a two hour wait to get there.

She decided to take her mum to Sheppey Community Hospital herself.

She was checked over and given the all clear by doctors and they returned to Mrs Dines’ home at Sheerness Holiday Park.

The Tesco worker said: “We asked mum how she felt and she told me ‘All I want to do is go home and have a cup of tea and something to eat’.

“We all went for a Chinese at a new restaurant and when we came home, mum got ready for bed.

“I left her to get ready and that’s when she started shouting my name.

“She was violently sick and I called for my husband but she just wasn’t with us. I called 999 and five ambulances turned up.

“All I could think was why couldn’t we get one earlier in the day.”

Mrs Martin was taken to King’s College Hospital in London where she suffered a heart attack and doctors found she had a bleed on the brain.

Mrs Dines said: “We were told that the bleed was too far on and there was nothing they could do so we just sat with her into the early hours until she passed away.

“Nothing is going to be the same. I’m not even bothered about Christmas - it just feels like it doesn’t matter now.

“My husband and I usually put up a tree and decorate the house in lights but we haven’t even done that this year.

“She was such a family lady. She loved her grandchildren and all 13 of her great-grandchildren.

“They have all taken it very badly, especially the older ones. I can’t believe this is our first Christmas without her. I am not looking forward to it at all.”

“We were told that the bleed was too far on and there was nothing they could do so we just sat with her into the early hours until she passed away..." - Julie Dines

Son-in-law Dave Dines was shopping with the pair at the time and was standing in front of Mrs Martin when she fell.

The 54-year-old said: “We were at the till and I was in front of her. The next thing I knew she was flying towards me and she hit her head hard on the floor.

“I went straight over to make sure she wasn’t unconscious and put her in the recovery position.

“She had blood over the top of her eye but was conscious the whole time.

“What upset me most was that in their report, Poundland referred to the bag as a ‘bag for life’.

“This wasn’t a bag for life, it was a bag that took a life.”

The couple, who stay in their static home for 10 months of the year, are now getting ready to move out.

Mrs Dines said: “We just can’t live here anymore. I can’t sleep and I have only just started going back to work.

“We can still see mum being ill and being taken out of here by the paramedics.

“I can’t get what happened out of my head. I get upset all the time and can’t help thinking that if it wasn’t for that plastic bag my mum would still be here.

"But Poundland don’t see any of this, they don’t see any of the hurt that has been caused.”

“I want justice for my mother’s life and I want them to take some responsibility for her death...” - Julie Dines

The family has decided to take legal action against the high street giant for personal injury.

Mrs Dines added: “When you go out for a spot of shopping you don’t expect to have an accident that costs you your life, but that’s what happened to mum.

“If she had been ill or had been knocked down by a car it would almost be easier to deal with, but to slip over on a plastic bag and die 12 hours later is just incomprehensible.

“I believe Poundland have got blood on their hands.

“If they don’t take those bags away from the ends of the tills then somebody else could lose their life.

“Me and my husband went back in the next day and told them what had happened and they removed the bags but just days later they were back there again.

“I want justice for my mother’s life and I want them to take some responsibility for her death.”

An inquest into Mrs Martin’s death took place on Thursday, October 25 where the coroner ruled that the cause of death was an accident.

Coroner Ian Wade said: “Mary tripped on a carrier bag and fell striking her head. She was not suitable for surgery and died from a subdural haematoma in hospital.”