A DISABLED Oswaldtwistle woman dragged from her smoke-logged home had already choked to death on a piece of meat.

An inquest heard that wheelchair-bound Gabrielle Kroger had a high blood alcohol content at the time of death, which a Home Office pathologist said could have impaired judgement when eating.

Miss Kroger, 50, the former partner of Hyndburn Council leader Peter Britcliffe, was said to have had a chronic alcohol problem.

Neighbour Phillip Roberts told the hearing in Blackburn how he smelled smoke on the evening of Tuesday, November 30 and climbed into the yard of Miss Kroger's home in Lime Avenue.

He could see Miss Kroger sitting in her wheelchair and her head was back and her mouth open.

With the help of another neighbour he kicked the door in.

They then pulled Miss Kroger out of the smoke-filled kitchen.

Paramedic John Tetlow told how he and colleagues tried to resuscitate Miss Kroger without success.

They had difficulty inserting a tube into her airway because of what appeared to be cartilage and tissue.

She was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary where a doctor confirmed death.

Her body was identified by Mr Britcliffe, who also lives in Oswaldtwistle.

Pathologist John Rutherford said the mode of death had been rapid, possibly as a result of vegal inhibition.

He gave the cause of death as airway obstruction.

Coroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict of accidental death.