A Hereford woman who entered into a failed suicide pact with her late husband, died accidentally after she took a dose of his morphine, an inquest heard.

Winifred Julia Joan Godwin of Cotswold Drive, Hereford, desperately missed her husband who died two years ago.

Although she had told carers 'she was ready to go' and made it plain she had a wish to join her husband, it is unclear whether she intended to take her own life in June this year.

The inquest heard how Mrs Godwin had been suffering from confusion and short term memory loss, which, her son believed, could have resulted in her taking the morphine.

Mr Godwin suffered with arthritis and was in considerable pain towards the end of his life so the couple of nearly 60 years entered into the unsuccessful suicide pact in 1997.

Hereford pathologist, Dr Sam Banerjee confirmed Mrs Godwin had died of a morphine overdose and the 82 year-old was otherwise in good health. It seemed the morphine had been left from when her husband had been prescribed it two years previously, he added.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, county coroner David Halpern said he could not be sure whether Mrs Godwin had intended to take her own life.