A MUM-OF-TWO went on a drinking binge before taking an overdose of anti-depressants, an inquest heard.

Susan Ainscow, aged 47, was found dead at her home, in Ivy Road, Smithills, on February 27.

She had 10 times the therapeutic level of the anti-depressant sertraline in her body and toxicology reports showed that she had alcohol in her system.

Deputy coroner Alan Walsh recorded a verdict of misadventure as he said alcohol was a “major factor” in Ms Ainscow’s actions.

He added: “I’m sure that she did the act that caused her death.

“But I am not sure that she intended to take her own life.”

Ms Ainscow, who had a long history of self-harm, which included past overdoses, slitting her wrists and stabbing herself in the stomach, drank four bottles of wine per day and had been struggling with alcoholism for several years.

She had been taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital twice in November, 2012, after two separate overdoses.

Her daughter, Kimberley Riley-Shipperbottom, told Bolton Coroner’s Court that Ms Ainscow had gone to rehab for three months in 2011, and had stopped drinking.

But in April, 2012, she started again and Mrs Riley-Shipperbottom said she began a “downward spiral”.

When asked if she thought Ms Ainscow had taken her own life, Mrs Riley-Shipperbottom said she did not know, but added: “All I can say is that if she did then I respect that decision, if that is what she made, because I know how unhappy she was.”

A week before her death, Ms Ainscow went to stay with her parents in Johnson Fold.

The court heard she had been worried about a rash and had been referred to a dermatologist.

On February 26, she left her parents’ house to go to an appointment with Bolton’s drug and alcohol service.

Care worker Lindsey Jones told the court that she smelled of alcohol and had been drinking before the 1pm meeting.

After the meeting, she went back to her home in Smithills and began to drink.

Her body was found wrapped in a duvet the next day at 6.20pm.

Mr Walsh said: “I have accepted that she would have left notes if she had intended to take her own life, so, as she didn’t, then she probably didn’t intend to take her own life.”