A TEENAGE girl died after taking a mixture of medicine following a drunken night out with her boyfriend which ended in violence, an inquest was told.

The inquiry heard that Laura Ann Berry, aged 17, had suffered violent mood swings since her parents split up and had previously taken tablets but her father and friends said they thought that had been no more than a cry for help.

Laura died in August after taking the cocktail of medicines at the home in Livingstone Road, Blackburn, she shared with her father Michael. The inquest heard that when her parents split, Laura had stayed with her father and her brother had gone to live with their mother.

Michael Berry said Laura had taken the breakdown of her parents' marriage quite badly. He said she had gone downhill at school and her behaviour had become erratic but she had refused to have counselling.

On New Year's Day she took an overdose of tablets but within half an hour of taking the hormone pills she revealed what she had done and was rushed to hospital.

Mr Berry said Laura said she had taken the tablets because she had been out with her best friend's boyfriend and felt guilty.

The night before her death, Mr Berry had dropped off his daughter at her boyfriend's house and she said they were having a night out at the Hordens pub on Livesey Branch Road.

The following morning he found her on the floor of her bedroom and three days later she was dead.

Mr Berry said he believed everything that had happened over the last 21 months had led to Laura taking the tablets. "The accumulation of everything, boyfriend trouble, friend trouble, general teenage things and the break-up of our marriage, had all got to her," said Mr Berry. "The drink gave her the courage to do what she did." Boyfriend David McDonough, of Preston Old Road, Blackburn, said he could remember little about going home.

"I think I must have had a fight with Laura but can't remember," said Mr McDonough. "I've no idea what happened. That's how drunk I was."

A friend, Christopher Aspin, of Tresco Close, Blackburn, said Laura told him that Dave had hit her after accusing her of sleeping with one of his friends and she said she was not going to go back with him.

Coroner Michael Singleton said: "On the evidence available to me I can't be satisfied as to what her intentions were and must record an open verdict."