A woman remembered as a 'fiery tomboy' died of a morphine overdose, but her family told an inquest she was afraid of needles and wouldn't have injected herself.

Ann Marie Reader, a heroin user and known to loved ones as "Annie girl", was pronounced dead on December 5 after her partner called paramedics to their shared flat.

Crews attempted CPR after arriving at the home in Highlands Road, Maidstone, just before 2.30am but were unable to save the 43-year-old's life.

Miss Reader who had suffered with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for several years, was reportedly having trouble breathing before the ambulance was called.

A post mortem report presented at her inquest at Archbishop's Palace in Mill Street, Maidstone concluded the motorsport enthusiast had died of a morphine overdose.

However, a letter from sister-in-law Jennifer Reader read at the hearing stated: "She was a heroin user for many years but she never injected it herself because she was scared. She would get others to do it and her partner was the main person who would inject her."

While her family raised this concern, coroner Bina Patel said: "The police report said there were no signs of foul play. There were no suspicious circumstances or an ongoing criminal investigation."

A Kent Police spokesperson later confirmed no arrests were ever made and the incident was found to be non-suspicious.

She ended the hearing by declaring that Miss Reader's was a "drug related death" and offered her condolences to the family.

Afterwards friend Keri Simpson said: "It was a big loss especially the way she died, it's not nice."

Niece Lisa Chapman Said: "She was funny, kind, and caring but she was fiery. She will be missed by a lot of people.

According to Mrs Chapman, Miss Reader loved banger racing and motorbikes and would go to watch her nephews Nathan and Luke Shepley take to the track in their scrap car.

She also loved to play football before suffering a knee injury several years ago.