A COUNTY coroner has recorded an open verdict after a Lyonshall woman with a history of depression was found dead in Tunisia.

Evangeline Ankritt-Fox, 56, from Lyonshall, was found by the owner of a property she was renting in Hammamet in August 2013.

A post-mortem was conducted there but the cause of death was not provided and she was repatriated to England.

Dr Mark Hayes, a pathologist at Hereford County Hospital, carried out a post mortem examination in September of 2013 and said that while he also could not provide a cause of death there was no evidence of external features of disease or injury, and no evidence of any external trauma.

The inquest heard that Ms Ankritt-Fox had suffered from depression since she was very young and had been taking medication to cope.

She had also been diagnosed with cervical cancer – and later had a hysterectomy – at the same time as a marriage breakdown.

In March 2013 she fell down the stairs and suffered a “severe blow”

to the head, the inquest heard, and was left with headaches.

In a written statement, her daughter, Sasha Fox, said she knew her mum had always suffered with depression but did not realise how severe it was until they moved to Lyonshall.

She had lost a civil court case involving the owner of her property and that, coupled with the cancer diagnosis, affected her greatly, Ms Fox added.

But she recalled speaking to her mum a week before she died and said she ‘seemed really happy’.

Ms Fox said that though she found a letter addressed to her some weeks later – which appeared to be a suicide note – her mum had left notes previously when she had cancer saying how proud she was of her.

Ms Fox said she considered her mum had died as a result of medication but did not believe this was intentional.

Coroner for Herefordshire, Mark Bricknell, recorded an open verdict.