A MUM enjoying a girls' night at a friend's house died after tumbling down a slippery wooden staircase.

An inquest in Bolton heard how 49-year-old Julie Taylor suffered a traumatic head injury and doctors could not save her following the fall on February 20.

During the documentary hearing, where no family members were present, senior coroner Timothy Brennand read out statements explaining how Ms Taylor and her adult daughter Ashleigh Coop had gone to friend Leigh Bennett's home in Dickinson Street West, Horwich on February 19 and planned to stay overnight.

"We had a bit of a celebration because we had just booked a holiday," stated Ms Bennett.

Ashleigh told the coroner how her mum, who worked at Hart Common Golf Club, drank six cans of Carling lager.

"When my mum is drinking alcohol she is normally unsteady on her feet. If anyone is going to fall over on a night out it will be her," stated Ashleigh, who added that on two occasions Ms Taylor went upstairs to the toilet, she accompanied her to make sure she was alright.

"From previous knowledge I know those stairs can be slippy. They are just wooden stairs which had been painted. My mum has slipped on them previously," she said.

On a third occasion, about 12.30am, Ms Taylor got up to use the bathroom at the rented terraced house and Ashleigh intended to follow her after she finished her chat with Leigh.

Ms Bennett provided plastic sliders for guests to use as she was aware that the stairs, which were open plan from the kitchen, were slippy and they made sure Ms Taylor was wearing them.

"She had not long left the lounge, maybe 15 seconds or so, when we heard the sound of a thud,"said Ashleigh.

The two women ran into the kitchen and found Ms Taylor lying on her back in the middle of the room, unconscious, not breathing and with blood coming from her head.

Paramedics arrived and she was rushed to the Royal Bolton Hospital where a scan revealed she had suffered a massive, "devastating" unsurvivable head injury and fractured ribs.

After her family, including Daniel Coop, her partner of 29 years, and daughters Ashleigh and Alisha, had a chance to see her, she was taken off life support on February 21 and died.

The court heard that a police investigation was carried out but there are no suspicious circumstances and Ms Taylor, of Chorley Road, Westhoughton, is believed to have fallen backwards from towards top of the stairs.

Mr Brennand recorded a conclusion of accidental death.

"It is my opinion that this was a tragic incident, not helped by the amount of alcohol consumed, made all the more tragic by the fact that Julie was found by her daughter," he said.

"It is clear to me that she had attempted to use the sliders that were provided because it was known by her daughter that she was prone to become somewhat unsteady on her feet when intoxicated.

"It is also clear that it was known that the stairs at this particular set of premises, because they were not carpeted and therefore polished wood, could well be slippy. In those circumstances specific sliders, or shoes or slippers, for house guests to use had been provided by the occupiers.

"Even though this was a sensible precaution, it did not save Julie Taylor."

Mr Brennand expressed condolences to Ms Taylor's family.

"It is quite clear to me that the family must not reproach themselves, in particular her daughter who, in her touching statement, made it clear that in the ordinary course of events, she would do her best to look after her mother," said Mr Brennand.

"She was momentarily distracted in conversation and that is the only reason why she wasn't with her mother helping her to the bathroom."

Following Ms Taylor's death friends and acquaintances paid tribute to her on social media.

Carol Coucill wrote: "Julie was a friend of ours from the golf club and we can’t believe she’s been taken so soon."

Describing Ms Taylor as "very special" Elizabeth Kay said, "I'm truly gutted".