A WOMAN who struggled with her mental health and illicit substance abuse throughout her entire adult life died in hospital from drug toxicity, an inquest heard.

Leanne Axford, aged 46, died at Furness General Hospital on April 13 this year after suffering a cardiac arrest at her home address on Egerton Court in Barrow.

Cockermouth Coroners Court heard Miss Axford and her boyfriend Keith decided to take anxiety tablets the evening before as they needed a ‘head change’ because they had not been able to use crack cocaine for a couple of days and did not like being sober.

He said they watched a film together and fell asleep around midnight, but he then discovered her unresponsive the following afternoon after waking around 1pm.

The court was told paramedics were initially able to resume spontaneous circulation, but the decision was eventually made by hospital staff to stop resuscitation attempts at 2:40pm.

Detective Sergeant Stewart Glendinning, of Barrow Police’s Criminal Investigation Department, attended the home address where he located makeshift crack pipes and other drugs paraphernalia consistent with illegal drug abuse.

The court heard how Miss Axford was Barrow born and bred had been known to the Recovery Steps since June 2021.

The court was told that she had been prescribed methadone by the charity to deal with her crack cocaine addiction at the time of her death.

She had attempted treatment for rehabilitation in the past, but the court heard this had unfortunately been unsuccessful.

Her daughter, Courtney, described her mother as always being a ‘happy character’ around people despite the difficulties she had in her life.

Coroner Craig Smith said: “It is clear drugs were an issue leading up to her death.

“I am satisfied she had a long standing and serous issue with substance abuse and was assessing illicit substances, notably cocaine.

“The combination of the drugs had a much greater affect on her than any single drug.”

Mr Smith concluded the death was drug related as a direct result of aspirational pneumonia, inhalation of gastric content and the combined toxic effects of drugs.