A 70-YEAR-OLD E-coli food-poisoning victim collapsed and died at her home 11 hours after being seen by her doctor, an inquiry heard yesterday.

The case of Mrs Annie Criggie came in evidence from Dr Edward Briggs. He told the fatal accident inquiry into the 21 fatalities of the 1996 E-coli 0157 epidemic that he saw Mrs Criggie at her home at Bonnyside Road, Bonnybridge, at 10am on Tuesday, November 26.

Dr Briggs, of Bonnybridge Health Centre in Stirlingshire, said Mrs Criggie told him she had eaten cooked meat bought from a ''co-op'' in Bonnybridge, but did not say which one.

He said she complained of bleeding diarrhoea, but that Mrs Criggie was not dehydrated.

She was told to rest and take fluids and the doctor instructed her daughter to contact the practice if Mrs Criggie's condition deteriorated.

The doctor had heard of an E-coli outbreak the previous weekend.

Later that Tuesday at 9.20pm another doctor was called to the house and found Mrs Criggie had collapsed and died.

Dr Briggs was asked by procurator fiscal Frank Crowe if at the time he saw Mrs Criggie he felt there was any need to admit her to hospital.

He replied: ''No, I did not feel there was a need to do that.''

Mr Crowe asked if he was surprised to learn in a phone call from a colleague about Mrs Criggie's death. Dr Briggs said: ''I was very surprised.''

Cooked meats were still in Mrs Criggie's fridge on the day of her death, said Mr Crowe, but the doctor said he was not aware of this.

The inquiry has heard that three Bonnybridge Scotmid shops - formerly co-operative stores - were supplied with cooked meat and cooked meat products from John M Barr & Son, of Wishaw.

Cross-examined later the doctor was asked if a stool specimen had been obtained from Mrs Criggie when he first attended her.

He said: ''As far as I am aware a specimen was asked for but the specimen was not sent.''

Dr Briggs was asked if had he taken a blood sample there and then would he have received the results prior to her death.

He replied: ''It's possible. Routinely we get specimen results the next day. If there is a gross abnormality we would usually receive them in the late afternoon of that day.''

A post-mortem examination later revealed that she had died from enterocolitis and was E-coli 0157 positive. The inquiry at Motherwell continues.