A WOMAN was found face down in her bath days after telling her family she had an alcohol dependency problem – despite there being no evidence to suggest she did, an inquest heard this week.

Helen Kitson died at her home in Arnison Avenue, High Wycombe, on February 14, a week after unburdening herself to her family and doctor about what she thought was excessive drinking.

But test results showed her liver had no signs of alcohol abuse and her family said she was nothing more than a social drinker.

The inquest heard the 57-year-old's anxiety was apparently brought on after reading a newspaper article about the dangers of heavy drinking.

During a routine appointment with a kidney specialist on February 9 Mrs Kitson said she was 'distressed' and 'worried' at the amount of alcohol she was drinking.

The inquest heard she also spoke about troubling issues from her childhood, which she had previously not mentioned.

After attempting self-harm, she visited a GP on February 13. He was content Mrs Kitson posed no risk to herself but prescribed her anti-depressants.

The next day Mrs Kitson appeared to be acting normally and ran a bath. Her husband spoke to her prior to getting in, but when he returned he discovered she had rolled over and was face down in the water. An ambulance team was unable to revive her.

Mr Kitson said: "She liked a drink but was never under the weather through drink. She had a glass of wine or two in the evening but not during the day."

Coroner Richard Hulett said up until February 7 her life was one of "comfortable normality".

He said: "Out of the blue she starts talking about the fact she feels very concerned about her alcohol intake. The obsession seems to snowball over the next few days quite seriously.

"She begins to describe herself in admissions which are actually untrue."

He recorded a narrative verdict, as the evidence presented did not "sufficiently disclose how her drowning came about".