A FORMER police officer's death following a fall was accidental, an inquest has concluded.

Jane Caroline Storey, who died on January 3 aged 49, was discovered in an unresponsive state by her partner Kevin Jones at their home in Crompton Close, Higher Kinnerton.

Paramedics arrived at the property within 15 minutes of receiving a call but Miss Storey had already died.

Resuming an inquest into her death, Joanne Lees, assistant coroner for North Wales East and Central, said it was reported that two days prior to her death Miss Storey had sustained a fall.

She had a history of falls - as well as alcohol dependency, Mrs Lees said.

The inquest at Ruthin heard how she had previously accomplished a successful career as a Cheshire Constabulary police officer and had recently started a job in a shop.

In a statement read out by the assistant coroner, Mr Jones said his partner had been a drinker since he had known her and she had gone into rehabilitation in 2017.

She was also on a range of medication which would sometimes make her tired.

On New Year's Eve the couple had been out for drinks and the following day Miss Storey said she had a pain in her shoulder.

She continued to complain the next day that she had hurt herself and told her partner she had fallen, following which she took pain killers.

The pain meant Mr Jones had to help her to dress and get out of a chair as her arm was swollen.

On the evening of January 2, she slept downstairs and told her partner not to forget to wake her in the morning, but when Mr Jones came down the next day he found her unresponsive and called for the ambulance.

Mrs Lees referred to a statement from Miss Storey's GP, which explained she had been alcohol dependant and had hypertension.

A post-mortem concluded the primary cause of death was a blunt force head injury.

The examination also revealed injuries consistent with previous falls and a more recent substantial fall.

Toxicology tests confirmed Miss Storey had the equivalent of three times the legal drink drive alcohol limit in her system, as well as codeine at a range higher than therapeutic use.

Mrs Lees told the hearing Miss Storey's pain might have been dulled by the alcohol and combination of medication she had taken.

The assistant coroner recorded a conclusion that Miss Storey's death was accidental.

In a statement Miss Storey's brother Sean Paul Storey said his sister, who was born in Liverpool, was popular and much loved by her family.