THE family of Lindsay Heffer heard how she failed to take drugs for a thyroid problem despite knowing the condition could kill her.

The inquest held in Trowbridge on Tuesday heard how 31-year-old Miss Heffer of Kensington Fields, Trowbridge was found dead in her bed by her brother in August, after he was unable to wake her.

Miss Heffer's boyfriend Paul Davis said that despite plans to get married in October his fiancee had never informed him of her illness.

He said Miss Heffer had told his 15-year-old son Charles of the problem but had made him promise to keep the condition a secret.

In a statement read out from Charles, the inquest heard how he had asked Miss Heffer why she had tablets on the microwave and, after telling him about her thyroid condition, she made him promise that he would keep it a secret.

The statement read: "Lindsay said it was our little secret. I did not know what a thyroid problem was and I never spoke of it again but I did keep it a secret until Lindsay died."

Mr Davis said that the night before Miss Heffer's death she had been sick and had gone to bed early complaining of a toothache.

He said: "I woke up at about 5am to go to work and looked over at Lindsay who was facing away and I could only see the back of her head and I didn't disturb her but just left for work."

Miss Heffer's mother, Christine Reardon, said the family kept urging her to take the medication for the condition.

She said: "I knew it could have been a life-threatening condition.

"She enjoyed life and didn't seem worried about her condition."

She also spoke of Miss Heffer's concerns about her weight and how she believed the tablets made her bigger.

Miss Heffer's brother David Davies, who found her dead in her bed, reported what she said after failing to take tablets on a previous occasion.

The statement read: "She told me that if she had gone one more day without her tablets, she would have died. She did not seem worried."

The inquest was adjourned to allow a pathologist to present evidence.