Woman died in bed next to her partner

AWOMAN whose health deteriorated after the death of her mother passed away in bed next to her partner, an inquest heard.

Dawn Bradley, 56, was found dead on January 13 this year at her home on Manchester Road in Haslingden.

Burnley Coroners Court heard how Ms Bradley was last seen by her partner David Taylor at around lunchtime the same day and got into bed with him after ‘complaining of feeling cold’.

However, when Mr Taylor awoke four hours later he found her to be ‘cold and unresponsive in the same position in bed’.

A post-mortem examination found that Ms Bradley, who suffered from alcoholism, had an alcohol reading of 472mg in 100ml of blood – nearly six times the legal driving limit of 80mg.

Pathologist Dr Al Mudaffer said the bloodalcohol concentration ‘demonstrates profound intoxication that is likely to have been fatal’.

He said: “Blood- ethanol concentrations in the order of 300mg are not uncommonly encountered in fatal ethanol poisonings, even for habitual drinkers.”

The inquest heard that Ms Bradley also had a fatty liver and scarring on her heart.

Assistant coroner Mark Williams said Mr Taylor, who had lived with Ms Bradley for 19 years, was due to attend the inquest hearing, however he was ‘not fit enough to do so’.

The inquest heard that following Ms Bradley’s death, Mr Taylor was admitted to Olive House Home for Older People in Bacup for a ‘period of rehabilitation’ and he was then discharged in June to live independently at an address on Rochdale Road in Bacup.

However, four days after moving in, he suffered a fall and fractured his hip and remains in Royal Blackburn Hospital.

In a statement provided to the coroners office, Mr Taylor said Ms Bradley was an alcoholic and that her health began to deteriorate seven years ago when her mother suddenly passed away.

Mr Taylor said: “She was drinking heavily on a daily basis, consuming mainly cider, whiskey and rum.

“Her health deteriorated very badly and she stopped eating food in any meaningful quantity and for many days wouldn’t get out of bed other than to purchase alcohol.”

Mr Williams recorded a conclusion of alcoholrelated death.