A DELIVERY driver from Salisbury who died in her car had fatal levels of pain medication in her blood.

Hazel Gough was found in her car outside Heathwood, Fountain Way in Wilton Road on December 14, 2017.

The 41-year-old, who lived in Benedict Court, used fentanyl patches for pain relief and had been diagnosed with a dislocated knee cap.

An inquest at Salisbury Coroners Court on Tuesday heard the dosage of the patches had been reduced and doctors had discussed lowering it further.

Miss Gough was also under the care of the mental health partnership at Fountain Way and had an appointment the day before she was found dead. Dr Lyn Hopkinson described her as being sleepy during the session.

The session finished at about 4.30pm and she booked her next appointment before leaving. She was seen waiting outside and looking at her phone which was not unusual.

Miss Gough was found in her Renault Kadjar the next morning by receptionist Adrian Lock, who had initially thought she was asleep. He later tried to wake her but was unable.

Paramedics were called and pronounced her dead at 9.04am.

Coroner David Ridley said opioid drugs can cause respiratory depression which can lead to death.

He gave the cause of death as fentanyl toxicity and recorded a conclusion of misadventure.

Mr Ridley said a post mortem found “potentially fatal levels” of fentanyl in Miss Gough’s blood.

He said: “It is likely that, having got in her car after the session ended at 4.30pm, that the effects of the drug caused respiratory depression and Hazel’s death inside the car.

“It is more likely than not that the level of fentanyl had been building up in her system over the previous few days, although it is unclear as to why this was happening.”