Care homes were today urged to improve safety following the death of an elderly resident who fell from an upper floor window.

Councillors and safety officials in Edinburgh said lessons had to be learned from the death of 87-year-old Leah Bell in March 2006.

Mrs Bell died after falling from an unsecured second floor window at the Sir James McKay House in Edinburgh.

Yesterday the Grand Lodge of Scotland, which owns the care home, was fined £100,000 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to contraventions of health and safety legislation.

Following the incident, investigations were carried out by the City of Edinburgh Council's health and safety team.

Council environment leader Robert Aldridge said: "Mrs Bell's tragic death was wholly preventable - had the care home shown due regard for health and safety, it would not have been possible for her to have got on to the window ledge from where she then fell.

"Unfortunately, similar accidents have occurred elsewhere in the UK and residents climbing out of windows is a hazard that is clearly referred to in Health and Safety Executive guidance for the care sector.

"This case is a lesson to all care homes about the importance of securing their windows so that nothing like this can happen again."

Stephen Walker, environmental health and trading standards manager, added: "The management of the care home co-operated with the council's investigation into this matter.

"All businesses must consider the dangers of falls from height and the risks associated with persons, including members of the public such as the elderly and children, using their premises and put in place adequate control measures."