Hazel Pearson, 80, suffered aspiration pneumonia four days after being fed the breakfast cereal, which mostly consists of wheat, at Wrexham Maelor Hospital in north Wales. The opening of her inquest was told Hazel, a retired credit controller, had Coeliac disease, which is caused by an adverse reaction to gluten.

       Gluten is found in wheat, as well as barley, and rye.

       The hearing in Ruthin County Hall was told Hazel died on Tuesday November 30.

       No post mortem was conducted following the death, reports North Wales Live.

       John Gittins, senior coroner for North Wales east and central, adjourned proceedings ahead of the full inquest, which will be held next year.

       In Coeliac disease, the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them.

       This damages the surface of the small bowel (intestines), disrupting the body's ability to take in nutrients from food.

       It affects at least one in every 100 people in the UK.