AN inquest heard that Lorraine Ethel Cardoo was sent home with a recommendation that she increase the dose of tranquilliser she was taking for depression.

But her partner of seven years, David Barker, found her dead in bed the next morning and a post mortem examination later showed that she had died of a severe liver failure.

Mr Barker, of Ash Grove, Darwen, said Mrs Cardoo started vomiting on the morning of January 3 and she could not hold down even a drink of water.

Her regular doctor was not available but he took her to the health centre and saw another doctor.

"The doctor looked at what pills she was on and told her to up her dose to nine tablets a day," said Mr Barker. We thought that was a bit harsh but he said it was better doing it at home.

"The doctor did not say anything about the fact that she was constantly vomiting."

Her condition improved and she was able to keep fluids down. They went to bed at 11.30pm but when Mr Barker took her a cup of Horlicks the following morning she was dead.

He said that apart from depression, Mrs Cardoo had enjoyed generally good health. Tests revealed no trace of alcohol or other medication that could have contributed to her death. But it did reveal that her liver had undergone severe fatty change, a recognised cause of sudden death.

The medical cause of death was given as hepatic fatty change and deputy coroner Carolyn Singleton recorded a verdict of natural causes.