A WOMAN suffering from depression and ME was found dead in bed by her husband.

An inquest was told Patricia Devlin, aged 39, of Glynne Street, Farnworth, had been admitted to hospital a month before her death after taking an overdose of tablets, but had recovered.

Her 37-year-old husband, Wyndham Johnson, told the inquest his wife had been depressed after he had been involved in a serious car accident last October.

She had given birth to a girl last February, who was being looked after by her mother, and Mr Johnson told the inquest he thought his wife felt isolated.

Mrs Devlin, who was found dead on December 16, had to give up her job in 1987 after contracting ME following a bout of glandular fever.

Mr Johnson said he had woke up in the night and heard his wife breathing in a strange way.

When he got up the following morning he assumed she was still asleep and only realised she had died later.

PC Nicholas Turner was called to the house and told the inquest he found a large quantity of tablets under the bed, in the bathroom and in the bedroom cabinet.

He also found a small quantity of what he believed to be cannabis in the bedside cabinet.

Coroner Aidan Cotter reported a verdict of accidental death and said: "It is unusual for someone to take their own life without leaving a letter or a threat.

"I find it hard to believe that someone would leave a young child. I think it was an accident."