Woman dies after falling into manhole

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LONDON, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- An elderly British woman died as a result of injuries she received after falling into an uncovered manhole, officials said.

Jenny Ward, 80, was trapped for several hours after she fell into the manhole on her way home from working in a vegetable market late at night, British newspaper The Sun reported.

A group of youths removed the manhole cover so Ward would fall into the opening because she asked them to stop hanging around her home, the report said.

Firefighters rescued her from the hole, and she spent about a month in the hospital, later dying as a result of injuries to her foot, The Sun said.

Ward's relatives criticized police for not responding to her complaints about the gang hanging around her home in Blackpool, the newspaper said.

"The police had been notified. Jenny has been let down, they don't take enough interest," her brother, 78-year-old Jack Berry said.

Police Superintendent Bill McMahon said he wasn't aware of any problems in the area.

"We regularly patrol this area, but we've not been made aware anti-social behavior is a particular problem."

The report didn't say when the incident occurred, or when Ward died.