AN open verdict has been recorded on a Chelmsford woman who was found dead at her home.

Lynne Pigram, 56, of Springfield Park Road, died from cardiac arrest due to an overdose of anti-depressant drugs and alcohol, an inquest at Chelmsford heard on Wednesday.

Coroner's officer Len Jarman told the hearing at County Hall that Mrs Pigram was found at her home address on October 1 last year by her son, Tony, who had forced entry to the property after being alerted by a neighbour.

She was found in her bed. There were signs she had been drinking and evidence suggested there had been anti-depressant drugs in the house, too. Investigating officers found a note.

Tony Pigram told the hearing he had seen his mother on September 30 and that she had been in good spirits.

"She had not said she would take her life, or made any attempts to do so," he said, adding that his mother had been on various medications, suffered from high blood pressure and was diabetic.

The court also heard Mrs Pigram and her husband had separated a few weeks earlier and she had taken it quite hard.

An examination showed she had a high level of alcohol in her blood and a potentially fatal concentration of an anti-depressant drug.

Recording the verdict, coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said she was not satisfied Mrs Pigram intended to take her own life.

"We shall never quite know what was on her mind and whether it was a cry for help."