THE death of a woman, whose body was found on a North-East beach two years ago, remains a mystery, an inquest heard yesterday.

Debra McNicholas drowned in the North Sea, off Redcar, east Cleveland, in September 2001 and police launched a murder-style inquiry.

At the inquest into her death yesterday, Detective Inspector Gordon Leng said there was still no clue as to how she came to drown or what her movements were before her death.

Home Office pathologist Dr Mark Egan said her injuries could be explained by her having been in the water and having fallen on a hard surface.

He said Mrs McNicholas had drunk an amount of alcohol equivalent to three and a half times the permitted legal limit for driving and this would have affected her co-ordination and balance.

General Practitioner Dr Bijoy Lal said in a written statement to the coroner that Mrs McNicholas had lost a baby in January 1995 and had become depressed.

He said: "She never recovered from the bereavement shock of the premature baby in 1995. Her husband used to work away and she had four children to look after. She did manage until 1999 when she came to see me in a very depressed state."

The doctor said the 44-year-old, who lived in Oak Road, Redcar, told him she had started drinking heavily and he suggested she went to Alcholics Anonymous.

Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield recorded an open verdict because he said the evidence did not fully disclose how she came to drown.