THE death of a young woman in Ulverston after an altercation in a house remains 'unexplained' according to an inquest hearing.

26-year-old Holly McKenna Lambert, from Burnley, died in the early hours of Monday February 20 2023 at Furness General Hospital after what the coroner described as an 'altercation' in a house. 

The inquest which took place at the Cumbria coroners court in Cockermouth on Thursday January 25  heard that Ms Lambert had reportedly been assaulted in the house before leaving the property and collapsing on a bench. 

Coroner Ms Margaret Taylor could not conclusively determine if Ms Lambert had been hit over the head with a bottle, which was widely reported at the time of her death.

She apologised to the family for not being able to find a conclusive cause of death. 

The court heard that police were told by Rebecca Kearsley that Holly had been slapped by her before she went outside to calm down.

Although there was evidence of smashed glass in the house, one of Holly's friends present at the scene told the police that he cut himself with the glass as an anxiety reaction to the altercation, the court heard. 

Police officers gave Ms Lambert initial CPR, and then paramedics administered four doses of adrenaline and one shock from a defibrillator.  

Ms Lambert died at Furness General at 2.47am. 

The court heard that despite examinations from a Home Office-registered forensic pathologist, a consultant in cardiovascular pathology and toxicological analysis there was no evidence confirming her death was directly caused by assault or by the use of drugs or alcohol. 

 The court heard that pathologists explored the possibility of Ms Lambert's heart being affected by her myotonic dystrophy, a disease of the muscles she had from birth, but could not find evidence of this.

Delivering an open verdict Ms Taylor said: "I know that this is going to come - and it has come - as surprising and disappointing that we have not been able to find out why Holly died. She was obviously very loved."

"Whether or not it was a slap, whether or not it was hitting over her head with a bottle, it is not something I can definitively come to a conclusion to. 

"I am so sorry I can't offer you any more answers." 

Speaking to the family at the end of the inquest, Ms Taylor called the death a 'mystery.'  

Police initially launched a murder probe which later led to one person being charged with affray. 41-year-old Rebecca Kearsley of New Market Street in Ulverston will attend her trial on July 10 at Preston Crown Court.