A WOMAN who died a drug-related death hid the extent of her addiction from family and friends, an inquest heard.

Jane Marie Sime, 40, died at Furness General on February 17 last year after taking heroin at her home in Pennine Gardens, Barrow, the hearing at Barrow Town Hall was told.

She was taken to hospital five days earlier after receiving CPR at her home when the alarm was raised by a neighbour.

Assistant coroner Paul O’Donnell ruled she died from the pneumonia she was suffering with but that it was a drug-related death. Family members said they were not aware that Miss Sime was receiving treatment for her addiction from a nurse at Unity in Barrow, which she started in September 2016.

Sister Melanie Postlethwaite said: “She used to take cocaine and smoke weed. But we didn’t know she had treatment for heroin.”

Mr O’Donnell said: “Her primary cause of death was pneumonia that had been a result of morphine toxicity from taking heroin.”

Family members told the inquest Miss Sime was a “loving” woman who cared for her two dogs, a chihuahua and a shih tzu.

The inquest was told she struggled with anxiety, depression and insomnia.

She was unemployed at the time of her death but worked previously as a cleaner in the shipyard and at FGH.

Anyone struggling with drug or alcohol addiction can get help from multiple sources.

These include Unity, Cumbria Alcohol and Drug Advisory Service, The Well and Women’s Community Matters.