A WOMAN with a ‘heart of gold’ died after taking a number of substances, a court was told.

Denise Elizabeth Brill-Edwards died at her home in Little Union Street, Ulverston on September 10, Cockermouth’s Coroner Court was told.

The 45-year-old had struggled with substance abuse for a number of years, reporting issues with drugs and alcohol since 2002, the court heard.

On September 9 – the day before her death – Denise travelled from Ulverston to Barrow to buy some crack cocaine and heroin.

Her partner of 20 years Stephen Thornley told the court that Denise had not been using substances on a daily basis at the time.

Denise returned home by 8pm and the pair shared what she brought home, the court heard.

Stephen said they normally inject the drugs and there was ‘nothing unusual’ about how she took the substances.

“She was in a great mood and on top form,” Stephen said.

Later that evening, Stephen found Denise sat against the kitchen wall chewing the drug gabapentin.

“I had never seen her do anything like that before,” he said.

Concerned Denise ‘didn’t seem right’, Stephen brought his partner upstairs and put her to bed.

“Her last words were ‘you know I love you’”, Stephen said.

The following day Stephen woke up and dialled 999 after seeing her.

Emergency services arrived at the property and informed Stephen that Denise had died.

“My world had fallen apart,” he said.

“She had a heart of gold and I miss her every day.

“Denise was my best mate and soul mate.”

Officers said there was nothing to suggest any third-party involvement at the scene.

At 10.56am Denise was pronounced as deceased.

Denise’s GP from Ulverston Community Health Centre said she had reported issues with drugs and alcohol since 2002. A heroin addiction had been on her record since 2002, the court heard.

A toxicology report found a combination of prescription medication and other drugs in Denise’s system at the time of her death, including: cocaine, methadone, gabapentin, a derivative of heroin, codeine and other substances.

A cause of death was recorded as multiple drug toxicity and coroner artery atheroma.

Coroner Kirsty Gomersal concluded a drug-related death.