A MUM-of-two died from a rare viral infection which attacked her heart muscles, an inquest was told.

The husband and young children of 33-year-old Lisa Sherburne had been left mystified after she was struck down by the illness days after returning from a walking holiday.

But an inquest heard that Mrs Sherburne, of Tunstall Drive, Altham, had a severely diseased heart.

Home office pathologist Dr Philip Lumb told the hearing Mrs Sherburne had died from acute diffuse miocarditis and that in 10 years as a pathologist he had only come across two similar cases.

He said: "It is very rare but not unknown."

The inquest was told that Mrs Sherburne was admitted to hospital complaining of abdominal pain, nausea and fever in September.

Her condition deteriorated and four days later doctors decided to carry out surgery to try and find the problem.

But her blood pressure dropped suddenly while she was being prepared for surgery and she died despite efforts to resuscitate her.

Deputy Coroner Carolyn Singleton recorded a verdict of natural causes.

At the time of Mrs Sherburne's death her husband Warren paid tribute to her in the Lancashire Telegraph, calling her the "perfect wife".

Mrs Sherburne worked as a health and safety officer for the Inland Revenue in Accrington.

She first complained of feeling unwell after the family had just returned from a caravan break in North Wales.

Mr Sherburne said he and their two children, Rebecca, five, and Connor, four, were struggling to come to terms with what had happened.

He said there was now "a huge gap in our lives".

Mrs Sherburne was part of a close-knit family and lived just two doors away from her sister Laura and her family.

She had worked for the Inland Revenue for 14 years and attended Mount Carmel School in Accrington as a youngster.