'Beautiful' mum died alone in council B&B after lockdown delayed new accommodation

She was just about to get a new start in life.

A grieving mother has shared her devastation after her daughter died alone in temporary accommodation during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Nicola McElhone, 36, died of an epileptic fit in June, leaving behind two teenage daughters, Alexis and Sophia.

Her mother, Barbra Hamil, 61, became worried about Nicola when she did not respond to phone calls or social media messages on June 23.

Barbra Hamil and daughter Nicola McElhone

Barbra was unable to reach her daughter as the council-partnered B&B where she was staying does not have a central phone number, and she was not able to visit in person because of Covid-19 restrictions.

On June 24 she became so concerned that she called the Edinburgh City Council 24 hour temporary accommodation helpline, and was told that staff at the B&B would be asked to do a health check on Nicola.

But Barbra did not hear back from them immediately.

Nicola McElhone was a 'beautiful spirit', her mother said.

Frantic with worry, she contacted Nicola’s friends, who had not heard from her, and then local hospitals to see if she had been admitted.

She then called Police Scotland to make a missing person’s report.

Barbra was notified by Police Scotland in the early hours of June 25 that her daughter had died as a result of an epileptic seizure.

She did not hear back from the temporary accommodation service, and said she felt ‘let down’ by the council.

Nicola and her late husband James with their children, Alexis and Sophia, now teenagers.

“There was a lack of care from the council, nothing came back from them,” she said.

"My daughter was a lovely girl, she had a beautiful spirit. She didn’t deserve to be treated like she was nothing.”

Nicola had been due to move into a new build flat with her daughters this year, but the move had been delayed by the pandemic.

She had had some mental health problems in the past, and had lost her flat after the end of a relationship.

Barbra Hamil said she is devastated at the loss of her daughter.

“She had turned her life around and was just looking forward,” said Barbra.

“I was really happy about it, and so proud of her. She was hoping to get a part-time job in future, and she was getting help from a counsellor.

“She had even started singing again.”

Nicola’s daughters, aged 13 and 14, were living with their grandmother and will now continue to do so, as their father died several years ago.

Barbra made a complaint to the council the day after Nicola’s death after she had no response from the temporary accommodation helpline.

But when she called again after three weeks she discovered that the council employee she made the complaint to had not logged it, as she had been ‘very busy’.

“It just shows the lack of care from the council,” Barbra said.

"This wasn’t about a broken window or a lost key, it was a death.”

A Council spokesperson said: “We can confirm that one of our residents sadly passed away while staying at Beechmount B&B.

"This is a tragic situation and our sympathies remain with the family at this very difficult time.

"With our partner agencies, we are keen to continue working with family members to support them with any questions and concerns they may have.”

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