AN inquest has been told that an 86-year-old Milverton woman froze to death in her garden.

The body of Patricia Cottey was found in the garden of her home in Creedwell Orchard, Milverton, on November 30 last year by her son after neighbours raised concerns.

In a statement to the hearing, Stephen Cottey said he had been at work when his mother’s neighbour told him they were concerned for her welfare.

Mr Cottey and the neighbour, Nicholas Lock, found Mrs Cottey lying on the back patio, covered in frost.

A police officer said there were no signs of violence but there were indications she had been unwell.

A post mortem examination revealed death from hypothermia.

Coroner Tony Williams said: “It looks to me that she had been in the process of trying to clean herself up after being unwell when she suffered either a fall or a collapse in

her back garden and, as a result, suffered from fatal hypothermia.”

He recorded the cause of death as hypothermia and cerebral atrophy, and a conclusion of accidental death.