A WOMAN who died following a night out with a friend in Burnley town centre died from natural causes, an inquest ruled.

Sylvia Smith, 72, who lived in Rydal Street in Burnley, had been for a meal at the Prairie on September 15 last year to celebrate her birthday.

Mrs Smith and her friend then went out for some drinks in the Talbot and the Coach and Horses in Burnley town centre.

She returned home by taxi in the early hours of the morning on September 16, and was found lying in the street by a neighbour who went outside at 3am to let his dog out.

An ambulance was called and Mrs Smith was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital before being transferred to a specialist unit in Preston.

Police investigating the incident ruled out robbery, an assault, or a road traffic collision after Mrs Smith was found to have all her belongings on her person, and had not received any visible injuries.

It was initially believed that Mrs Smith had died from a head injury caused by a fall but, after hearing medical evidence at an inquest a Burnley Magistrates’ Court yesterday, East Lancashire deputy coroner Mark Williams ruled that she had died from natural causes.

It is believed that a haemorrhage caused Mrs Smith to lose consciousness, and this is what led to the fall.