A COUNCIL was today urged to do more to help people deal with debt after a woman struggling to pay her council tax died from an overdose of drink and drugs.

An inquest into the death of Sarah Crawford heard the young mother was killed by a combination of anti-depressant tablets and alcohol in March after a Saturday afternoon drinking session with her husband, John.

Sarah's mother, Dorothy Harrison, confirmed that Sarah had received a letter from the bailiffs because of unpaid council tax to Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The inquest was told Mrs Crawford, 34, of Wellington Road, Blackburn, who worked at Tesco Metro in Blackburn, had been prescribed the anti-depressants in July.

Mr Crawford said his wife did not have a drink problem and that he could not think of any reason why she would harm herself. He conceded that they had financial problems, mainly centred on council tax but said that Sarah was "sorting them out."

Coroner Michael Singleton said no one had been able to tell him why Mrs Crawford had taken the tablets and added: "I cannot speculate as to what was going through her mind at the time and I feel the only conclusion open to me is an open verdict."

But Coun Charles Mills, a Lib Dem councillor, said there was more the council could do to help people with financial worries.

He said: "There are support services where people can go to get help but the advice centres the council run are not very well advertised.

"Better promotion of the service would mean people would get problems sorted out sooner."

Mr Crawford told an inquest that his wife had not been affected by the five or six halves of lager she had drunk and he said he had no idea there were any tablets in the house or that they had been prescribed to his wife.

Mr Crawford also denied claims that on two occasions, one only days before her death, Sarah had been treated at hospital for injuries she claimed he had inflicted on her.

She was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary after taking the tablets but died later that day.

Her mother said that in January or February she had received a telephone call from Sarah and when she got to her house the police and ambulance were already there. She said Sarah had a black eye and said that John had hit her.

She said she had spoken to Sarah on the day of her death when she dropped her daughter off to go on a day trip to Chester zoo.

Mrs Harrison said Sarah had seemed fine and she could think of no reason why she would harm herself. "I don't think she would want to leave her daughter, she loved her too much," said Mrs Harrison.

Nobody from Blackburn with Darwen Council was available to comment.