THE death of an elderly woman who overdosed on paracetamol was probably an accident, an inquest was told.

Janet Rees of Bolton-le-Sands told the inquest at Lancaster how her mother, Sheila Mary Callender, 72, had been in the habit of buying large quantities of paracetamol.

But she had become increasingly forgetful in the months running up to her death.

Mrs Rees, who discovered her mother's body at her home in Hest Bank, Lancaster, on Tuesday, December 12, said Mrs Callender had begun taking paracetamol many years ago, believing they helped her to sleep.

But, despite several warnings, she had continued to buy the tablets.

The inquest was told that Mrs Callender was prone to bouts of depression, but in a phone call to her daughter on the Friday before her death, she had appeared cheerful.

Consultant pathologist James Morris confirmed that a post-mortem examination had revealed evidence of senile dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

He also said there was a slightly raised level of paracetamol in her blood and liver damage, consistent with paracetamol poisoning, probably caused in the days running up to her death.

"It is quite common in people who have senile dementia or Alzheimer's to develop a pattern of forgetfulness so that they can not remember recent events.

It's quite easy to take tablets, forget and take them again," he said.

No suicide note was found.

In recording a verdict of accidental death, Deputy Coroner Glyn Entwistle ruled out suicide on the grounds of lack of evidence, saying: "She was not depressed in any way at the time Mrs Rees had been talking to her.

She was excited about Christmas and coming to stay."

He concluded: "It is clear that due to failing memory she took too many tablets, not intentionally in any way."