A WOMAN being treated for depression by her family doctors took an overdose of a standard cure for headaches and other pains and severely damaged her liver, it was revealed during a Gloucester inquest.

Prof Neil Shepherd, a consultant pathologist, said when he carried out a post mortem on Kathleen Green, 60, of Hamfallow Court, he found a high level of aspirin and paracetamol.

He added: "An overdose of paracetamol leads to liver damage and that is what happened in this case. There was severe liver and kidney damage."

John Gillett, who told coroner Alan Crickmore, he was the dead woman's partner, said she had stayed with him at his home at Yew Tree House, Wanswell, the weekend before she died.

She slept throughout the Saturday and Sunday and when she got up on the Monday morning he called her doctor.

She was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital where she died the following day, October 28.

Mr Gilett added: "Later I found empty packets of paracetamol in her bedroom."

In recording an open verdict, the coroner commented: "I am not convinced of an action to kill herself. I have no idea why she took these tablets."