A "much loved" mother from Bolton died following a battle with illness, an inquest heard.

Gaynor Clark died on May 7 this year at Royal Bolton Hospital after developing pneumonia, aged only 53.

An inquest at Bolton Coroners Court heard how Ms Clark, of Dukes Avenue, Little Lever, had worked as a laboratory assistant.

She had been married and had two sons.

In a statement read out by Senior Coroner Timothy Brennand, her son, Adam Clark, told the inquest how she went to school locally and worked at a local convenience store after leaving school.

He said how his mother and father met and had two children, him and his older brother, Barry, and married and settled in Little Lever.

Coroner Brennand said: "You describe her as somebody who was a social drinker, but came to a phase in her life where that aspect took a grip of her and sadly meant there were dependency issues."

He added: "You tell me in the last 18 months prior to her death, she seemed to improve. She had moved into a new property and everyone was helping her."

On April 13, Ms Clark attended her GP with a chest infection, bruising and had suffered an "unwitnessed" fall at home.

She then went to A&E at Royal Bolton Hospital, where she was diagnosed as having pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia.

However, her condition worsened and she died in hospital on May 7.

Dr Michael McEvoy gave Ms Clark's medical cause of death as pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, caused by immunosuppression which was in turn caused by alcoholic liver disease, with rib fractures under part two.

Coroner Brennand gave a narrative conclusion for Ms Clark's death.

He said: "I conclude that Gaynor Margaret Clark died as a consequence of a combination of naturally occurring disease, which was caused by previous alcohol liver syndrome, exacerbated by rib fractures suffered in a fall."

"The tragedy here is a much-loved mum, daughter and sister was taken too soon by a combination of reasons, and I am very sorry for your loss."