THE cause of death of a Burtonwood woman, found dead in bed, looks set to remain a mystery.

Hilda Boczek, aged 74, of Webb Drive, was found propped up in bed wearing her hairnet on April 4 this year.

An inquest at Warrington Coroner's Court on Thursday heard that a post mortem examination has failed to find a cause of death for the widow.

Mrs Boczek had suffered from depression in the past, and had said she wanted her life to end, but there is no evidence to suggest that she had done anything to harm herself.

Her son Paul told the inquest that Mrs Boczek had never got over the death of his father Peter, and in his opinion that is what had triggered the depression.

He said: "I was under the impression that my mother seemed to have given up, but not in the way of doing anything to harm herself."

Mrs Boczek had developed a condition causing inflammation in her muscles in 1994, which had been treated with steroids. The pain and stiffness in her upper thighs had returned and in August last year she was restarted on steroids again.

She had been prescribed antibiotics for a chest infection the day before her body was discovered by a neighbour.

Although the post mortem examination failed to find a cause of death, there is a possibility that Mrs Boczek's heart could have just stopped beating.

Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg recorded a verdict of death by natural causes.