A CORONER has rebuked the high number drug-related deaths happening in Oxfordshire as she concluded another case in which a 33-year-old died.

An inquest into to death of bakery shop assistant Wendy Grieve was held yesterday by assistant coroner for Oxfordshire Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp at Oxford Coroner's Court.

The court heard how Ms Grieve had been staying temporarily with a friend in Chipping Norton when it happened on July 3, 2018.

Evidence read aloud in court told how Ms Grieve's friend returned from his holiday in the late hours to the flat in Knoll Walk after a weekend away, he did not see Ms Grieve before heading off to work. It was upon the return from work that himself and another friend found Ms Grieve's body in her bedroom.

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Statement's from Thames Valley Police said the room where Ms Grieve was found also included a host of drug-related paraphernalia, although seemingly unused. One officer described what he called 'a cooking kit' often used by drug-users, which had not been lit, as well as unused needles.

Tests carried out afterwards by toxicologists found Ms Grieve to have 'substantially high' levels of morphine in her blood, as well as evidence of recent cocaine and cannabis use.

Ms Rhodes-Kemp said: "Having heard the evidence it seems to me that the only possible conclusion would be drug-related death."

She added: "She was a shop assistant and I conclude yet another inquest in this way. Yet again it shows the appalling prevalence of this menace [drugs] through the country at the moment.

"My condolences go out to the family of this young woman and another wasted life."

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Although no family or friends were present at the inquest held yesterday, Ms Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp offered her deepest condolences to those who cared about Ms Grieve.