A CORONER recorded an open verdict on a woman found dead in her home where witnesses said they saw "flashing lights and a dark figure" before her body was discovered.

Tamara Purvis, 46, died at her home in Regent Street, Nelson, and tests revealed she died from the toxic effects of an excess amount of the unprescribed anti-depressant drug Chlorpromazine, with the presence of alcohol possibly being a contributing factor.

She was discovered by police lying on her bed covered in vomit and blood more than two hours after neighbours reported seeing the figure.

Neighbour and friend Gladys Ali had gone round to Tamara's house at around 7.45pm and shouted at her but received no reply.

She told the coroner David Smith that she noticed the landing light was on and it lit up Tamara's bedroom, where she saw a large dark figure moving from the bedroom towards the bathroom.

Another neighbour also told police she saw the shadowy figure in the house.

Police searched the house and found no-one else in the building and it is believed only Tamara had a key.

Tamara was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 1999 and recently been cleared of it, but she told family and friends she was still in a lot of pain and sometimes got depressed.

Mental health nurse Tony Roberts said he was aware Tamara had swapped her drugs for other people's drugs on a couple of occasions.

Mr Roberts said Tamara would sometimes take more of her tablets for immediate pain relief but definitely had no intention of ending her life and was looking forward to getting out more.

Det Sgt Dave Fleming ruled out any question of a third party being involved in Tamara's death and described the flashing lights as 'a mystery'.

He said there were no signs Tamara had been in a struggle or that any doors had been forced.

He added that the large amount of blood on Tamara's hands, body, bed sheets and in the bathroom was a result of her vomiting.

Mr Smith, coroner, said: "I am still concerned as to why we can't answer this question about the lights because we have two responsible witnesses who say they saw these lights. I am quite satisfied in my own mind that she didn't intend to end her own life."