POLICE thought a recovering drug addict had been murdered after finding her dead body at her flat, an inquest heard.

However Brenda Moore had died by accidentally overdosing on prescribed methadone.

Her teenage daughter, Cherrelle, had called police after she was unable to get in touch with her mum, from Elizabeth Court, Queens Road, High Wycombe for several days.

Brenda, a 40-year-old divorcee was found face down on her sofa next to a sandwich with one bite taken out of it.

Richard Hulett, Buckinghamshire coroner, told Mrs Moore's family - who were at Amersham Courthouse on Wednesday - that when her body was found there was concern that her face was swollen and there was a broken window in her flat, but said: "At the end of the day as I understand it there was no evidence of any third party violence."

Brenda was found on February 22 but it is believed she died on or around February 16. She was last seen by her daughter on February 15.

Acting detective sergeant Abbe Breen was the officer in charge of the investigation into Brenda's death. She told the court: "The deceased was face down on the sofa. She was wearing a black jumper, jeans and socks on her feet.

"The flat was neat and there were no signs of a struggle. There was a sausage and egg sandwich with one bite out of it next to the body.

"At the time I treated the death as unexplained as there was no obvious cause."

She added that a log of her mobile phone showed there had been no texts sent or calls made since February 16.

Neighbours told police a man had banged on the flat door and shouted for Brenda on February 20.

Dr Robert Chapman, consultant forensic pathologist, gave a report of his post mortem findings.

He said: "She was fully dressed with no evidence of any injuries. I found evidence of a number of scars on her limbs consistent with long term use of drugs. I also found a puncture mark on her right thigh.

"I concluded that there was no evidence of natural disease to cause her death. In my opinion she died as a result of a combination of cocaine and methadone abuse."

He told the court that toxicological tests had found methadone and a chemical related to cocaine in her blood and a small amount of alcohol.

Summing up, coroner Richard Hulett said: "This case started off as a potential murder inquiry. Mercifully that was not the case, but she still died suddenly. The sandwich is very poignant and shows this was someone taken in the midst of doing something. She probably died on February 16, but we will never know.

"She was a long term user of drugs for which she was taking methadone on prescription. She died from a combination of methadone and cocaine. She had no natural disease and nobody harmed her. The methadone came from a programme she was on.

"I don't think for a moment she meant to die on this occasion but she had an unlucky combination and people are sometimes overtaken and die accidentally. She had no anticipation of what was going to happen to her.

"She just collapsed and died there. There is no suggestion whatsoever that she wanted to harm herself."

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.