A MOTHER from Andover died from natural causes after suffering from an alcohol problem for several years, an inquest heard.

Karen Hughes, 48, died on July 1, 2021, at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital as a result of multiple health problems, which were caused by alcohol-related liver disease.

On Tuesday, an inquest into her death held at Winchester Coroner’s Court heard how she had an alcohol addiction for the past 15 years.

Ms Hughes also suffered from a broken hip due to a fall she had in March at her home in Andover, which caused her to be bedbound and not mobile.

Christopher Wilkinson, senior coroner, concluded that she died as a result of natural causes.

He said: “From what I can tell she was not hugely mobile between January and March last year and she wasn’t getting out and about much because of her broken hip problem.

“She had an ongoing chronic leaver disease and her liver was not functioning properly and then she developed fluid on her lungs. She did not have the physical ability to overcome them.

“She didn’t want to eat because she was finding it hard to eat and she was just saying she doesn’t want to eat and would only eat small amounts.

“In essence, the cause of death, in this case, is a natural cause of death because long time alcohol use is considered to be a natural cause and the conditions she then suffered in the hospital were linked to that alcohol usage.”