Greater Manchester Police said the woman died after a medical event on Saturday afternoon. Her family have been told.
A woman in her 50s has died at a Tesco supermarket in Rochdale after an air ambulance was sent to the store and shoppers were asked to leave. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said officers received reports of a medical event at around 3.05pm on Saturday. The force confirmed the woman “sadly passed away”, and her next of kin are aware. Witnesses said they were told to leave the store and car park as the emergency unfolded.
Emergency response
Videos on social media show an air ambulance landing in the supermarket car park. It is understood that staff and paramedics attended to the woman while they waited for the helicopter to arrive. Rochdale Now reported that a rapid-response vehicle and a road ambulance were also sent, and attributed the response to North West Ambulance Service.
According to Rochdale Now, the car park was cleared so that the helicopter could land and emergency vehicles could operate. That offers a practical explanation for the evacuation, although the reason for clearing the whole store has not been officially explained.
It has not been confirmed whether the air ambulance crew treated the woman or whether the helicopter was used to transport a patient. North West Air Ambulance operates three EC135 helicopters, normally crewed by a pilot and either a doctor and a critical care paramedic or two critical care paramedics. The charity’s website describes its general capabilities, not the treatment given at the scene. It does not normally release details of a patient’s death or medical condition, citing patient confidentiality.
The location
The incident took place at the Tesco Superstore on Silk Street, Rochdale, just off Manchester Road and outside the town centre, according to Rochdale Now. Tesco’s store directory confirms the address.
What is not yet known
The woman’s cause of death has not been publicly established. Rochdale Now reported that police described the original call as a concern for welfare and did not give a medical diagnosis. Tesco declined to comment when local reporters approached the company on Saturday, and it has not said how long the store stayed closed.
