Cilla Black could have survived if she was immediately found, a pathologist’s report has revealed.
The document explains the 72-year-old star – who died from a stroke after falling and hitting her head at her Spanish villa on the weekend – was exposed to the sun’s heat for at least four hours after incurring her injuries, which may have otherwise not been fatal.
The report, seen by The Sun newspaper, said: "The most likely hypothesis is that, being on the terrace, for some reason she lost her balance, stumbled, she falls, upturning the table she has near to her with a fall backwards, hitting her head on the wall.
"This originates the focal subarachnoid hemorrhage with a loss of consciousness, being exposed to the sun for apparently four hours.
"A subarachnoid hemorrhage doesn’t normally cause sudden death but it can produce a loss of consciousness and depending on the state of health of the person and the context can cause death.
"That can either be through lack of consciousness or obstruction of the airways by the tongue or the lack of medical attention during a certain time period, causing a brain alteration with subsequent heart and/or lung consequences and death."
Temperatures that day at the resort of Estepona near Marbella reached approximately 31C (88F).
Cilla’s eldest son Bobby, 45, who had been in another part of the property at the time, discovered his mother’s body on the sun terrace of her room after breaking down the door because she failed to rise from a nap.
The ‘Blind Date’ presenter had reportedly suffered a series of falls as a result of her arthritis – including one just days earlier at the house of a friend – and the post-mortem report described Cilla’s death as "of violent origin".
Her sons, Bobby, Ben and Jack confirmed in a statement that their mother died from a stroke.
Cilla Black could have been saved
