A WOMAN discovered dead in her Droitwich Spa home had suffered a serious head injury.

Rita Lea was found at the foot of the stairs in her Florence Avenue detached house by her cleaner.

Police were called to the grim scene at 9am last Wednesday, January 9,and a post mortem revealed the 58-year-old died from a combination of shock and haemorrhage.

Pathologist Eddie Tapp found she had also suffered from gastric bleeding and a broken arm, although the cause of the injuries has not been established.

Blood was found in every ground floor room at the house, an inquest heard on Thursday.

Mrs Lea, who had lived alone since her husband committed suicide several years ago, was found by her cleaner, Eileen Brookes, who was the last person to see her alive two days earlier.

Worcestershire coroner Victor Round, opening the inquest at County Hall, in Worcester, said the mother-of-two had a history of depression and difficulties with alcohol.

She often turned up at neighbours' houses with bruises apparently sustained in falls, he said.

The inquest was adjourned for a date to be fixed.

A funeral will be held at New St Martin's Church, in London Road, Worcester, at 11am on Friday.