THE body of a retired council worker was found dead in her home up to a month after her death.

Police found Margaret Tombs dead in the hallway of her Winchester home.

Police used items in her home to determine that she had probably died on or near July 17.

Her neighbour Sylvia Nye had raised the alarm after not seeing the 77 year old for some time.

A statement form Ms Nye said: "Her grass had not been cut for some time, and there were flies visible inside the property."

Winchester Coroner's Court heard how Police forced entry to the property in Francis Gardens and found Miss Tombs laying on the floor of her hallway with a curtain pulled down on top of her.

Pathologist Dr Adnan Al-Badri said that it was difficult to ascertain a cause of death due to decomposition but that her past history of hypertension suggested she had died of a heart attack.

Senior Coroner Grahame Short concluded that Miss Tomb had died of natural causes at an unknown date before it was confirmed on August 21.