THE landlady of a pub in Rishton has paid tribute to a "captivating" barmaid who was found dead in her flat after she failed to turn up for work.

Bev Adamson said 18-year-old Sarah Marie O'Dea was loved by both staff and customers at the Roebuck Inn, High Street.

But an inquest found that the teenager, whose family are from Burnley, had taken her own life in February.

A bench has been put outside the pub in her memory, using money from a collection at the pub following her death, and the pub has also had a star named after her.

The inquest heard how police went to Sarah's home in Weaver's Court, Blackburn, after Mrs Adamson raised the alarm when she failed to show up for her shift at the pub.

They found her body on the living room floor, surrounded by empty packs of cocodamol.

Subsequent toxicological tests showed she had taken a massive dose of cocodamol which, mixed with alcohol, had caused her death.

The inquest heard that there was also a suicide note on the table.

Her mother, Mary Hilton, told the hearing she had been with Sarah the day before her death and she had seemed excited because she was going to a 21st birthday party.

They had gone shopping to buy a new dress for the party.

"She didn't express any concerns about anything, but she did say that she missed Burnley," said Mrs Hilton.

"She was laughing and joking when we dropped her off in Rishton."

Coroner Michael Singleton said he was satisfied that at the time Miss O'Dea consumed the tablets it was her intention to bring about her own demise.

"I have little doubt that had she overcome the crisis of the moment, the following day she would have viewed things differently," said Mr Singleton.

Speaking after the inquest, Mrs Adamson said: "I treated Sarah like a daughter. She was a captivating person.

"She had a few things going on in her life that she was confused about, but the night before we had all been to a 21st birthday party.

"She had been really happy and had been going round telling everyone that she loved them.

"But obviously beneath the facade there was something else going on that we didn't know about."

Mrs Adamson added: "We all really miss her."