AN elderly woman died after a street row broke out in Nelson.

Rehmat Jan, 71, of Oak Street, Nelson, suffered a heart attack following a confrontation on Tuesday afternoon.

Paramedics were called to the address where she was pronounced dead at around 7.30pm.

Police were initially treating the death as suspicious following reports that there had been a verbal altercation in the street around four hours before her death.

However, a post mortem examination revealed she died of natural causes.

A family friend paid tribute to Mrs Jan, who he said was married to Fazal Karim.

He described her as a "well respected" member of the community.

A 32-year-old man, believed to be a distant relative, also of Oak Street, was arrested in connection with her death. He has since been released without charge.

Det Chief Insp Neil Hunter said: "A man was arrested because there had been a suggestion that there had been a verbal altercation about four hours earlier.

"At that early stage we couldn't rule out that that verbal altercation was linked to her death.

"However the post mortem revealed she was chronically ill and could have died at any time as a result of her heart problems."

Mohammed Sadiq, a family friend who lives in Nelson, said: "She had come back from Saudi Arabia just two to three weeks ago and she wasn't that well.

"She had heart trouble and asthma although her death has still come as a shock.

"She was a well respected member of the community and well known around here. Her death will be a great loss to the community."

Coroners officer Bob Wilson said: "Initially it was thought the death could have been suspicious.

"However, a post mor-tem examination was carried out which found the death was natural causes.

"The matter has now been passed to the Blackburn coroner."

An inquest was due to be opened later this week by Blackburn, Darwen, Ribble Valley and Hyndburn coroner Rich-ard Taylor.