A GRIEVING mother took a drugs overdose two months after her son also took his own life, a coroner's court has heard.

Joan Lesley Williams died on May 27 last year after taking a large amount of morphine, which she had been prescribed for pain.

At an inquest into her death yesterday, at Chester-le-Street Magistrates' Court, her partner, John Dixon, said she had been feeling down after her son took his life last March.

Mr Dixon, of The Grove, Coxhoe, Durham, said: "She was definitely down on herself, which is to be expected. I thought she was recovering."

He said he had visited Mrs Williams' home in Willow Court, Coxhoe, on the day she died, but could not get into the property.

PC Phillip Ward, of Durham Constabulary, said he found a cup containing a brown substance beside the body and empty bottles of morphine.

Pathologist Dr Paul Barrett said the amount of morphine was a marked increase than in a usual dose and it was unlikely it had been taken by accident.

Coroner Brenda Davidson recorded a verdict that Mrs Williams took her own life.