A 36-YEAR-OLD Church woman died after taking a massive overdose of amphetamine mixed with the heroin substitute methadone.

An inquest heard that Susan Ann Heap was found collapsed in the home in Canal Street she shared with Craig Scholes.

He told the hearing he could think of no reason why his partner would harm herself.

Sandra Croasdale told the inquest her daughter had been a heroin addict and had spent eight weeks in intensive care prior to Christmas. Following her discharge she was prescribed methadone.

Mr Scholes said his partner was in very poor health. The day before her death she had been prescribed 300ml of meth-adone, 50ml to be taken daily.

She had taken 200 to 250ml. He said the amphetamine had been bought on the street.

Pathologist Dr Richard Prescott said the level of amphetamine in Miss Heap's blood was more than three and a half times the level that was normally lethal. He said the methadone level was also high and gave the medical cause of death as amphetamine and methadone toxicity.

Coroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict of misadventure.