A heavy smoker throughout her adult life, a former Milford Haven midwife had to retire early because of ill-health, an inquest heard today (Thursday).

Mrs Alyson Jane Thomas (44) of 30, Great North Road, suffered from emphysema, a collapsed lung and anorexia. On three occasions she had overdosed on prescribed drugs although these incidents were believed to have been accidental, Coroner's Officer Jeremy Davies told Deputy Pembrokeshire Coroner Mark Layton.

She had recently had a benign growth removed at Withybush Hospital and was last released from hospital on June 16th.

She retired to bed on Friday June 20th and her husband, who slept in a separate room because of her condition, found her the following morning lying across the mattress with her feet on the floor, showing no sign of life.

A post mortem revealed a concentration of oxycodon consistent with death and the pathologist said she died from acute cardio-respiratory failure and drug overdose.

The Coroner recorded a verdict of death by self-administered drug poisoning.