A PUB licensee took her own life by overdosing on medication prescribed to her partner after a night out with friends.

Miss Kirsty Wells (25), was found lying in bed the next morning by Miss Gillian Bain, with whom she ran the The Brandlesholme in Brandlesholme Road.

A suicide note found on the premises gave no indication of the motive, an inquest in Bury heard.

Miss Wells had taken part in a women's darts evening at Elton Liberal Club the night before she died in February.

On returning to the pub, she went to bed while Miss Bain, who acted as landlady, finished work.

Some time later, Miss Wells took a lethal amount of painkillers, as well as anti-convulsants.

It was not until the next morning that Miss Bain was alerted, when she found empty foils lying outside the bedroom window. Miss Wells was taken to Fairfield General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Blood tests revealed that the painkiller Tramadol was present at eight times its lethal level, along with the anti-convulsant Gabapentin. The couple, who came from Scotland, had taken over the pub in May 2000. In the months leading up to her death, Miss Wells had been depressed, but did not mention suicide.

Friends from the darts outing said that she showed no outward sign of distress during the evening.

Recording a verdict of suicide, Bury district coroner Mr Barrie Williams said: "The reasons behind what happened have not emerged from the inquest, and it is not part of our remit to find them.

"The matter I have to consider is that she did intend the consequences of her actions to be fatal."