IRENA Nadiotis, a mother-of-two living in Tetbury, died of drowning after falling down a well in her back garden, an inquest concluded.

Ms Nadiotis, 57, fell into a well at her 17th century house in New Church Street, Tetbury on Saturday, May 14.

The divorced mum, who had overcome breast cancer, had lived at the house for about 18 months with her daughter Maddi, a Birmingham University student, and son Hari, who was on a gap year at the time.

An inquest into Ms Nadiotis’ death was held at Gloucester Coroner’s Court this afternoon. No family members were present.

A medical report written by Dr McCarthy was read out: “This 57-year-old lady has died as a result of drowning.

“The lungs show the characteristic features of drowning.

“There was a minor bruise at the back of head, but there was no internal damage.”

Police investigation files compiled by Sergeant Williams reported that at around the time of the incident, Maddi was upstairs in the house while Ms Nadiotis was outside gardening.

Some time later, Maddi looked out of the upstairs window and saw the well which had never been seen before, as it had previously been covered up.

She went downstairs to investigate and discovered her mother submerged at the bottom of the well.

Police were called at 5.47pm and they, along with an ambulance and a fire crew, arrived at the scene shortly afterwards.

Ms Nadiotis was pronounced dead at 8.26pm.

The coroner concluded that Ms Nadiotis died at her home, which she had been running as a bed and breakfast.

She accepted Dr McCarthy’s assessment that the cause of death was drowning.

She said: “It seems this 57-year-old woman, living at this property - she’d recently bought it, running it as a BnB - was enjoying that afternoon, she was doing some gardening.

“Her daughter looked out of the upstairs window and saw the well in the garden which had never been there before. Previously, it had been covered with patio or flag stones.

"The ground had clearly given way beneath Ms Nadiotis, causing her to fall into the well and she had become submerged at the bottom.

“She had sustained a minor head injury as she fell.

“I find the appropriate short form conclusion in this tragic case to be indeed accidental death and accidental fall down a previously covered well, rendering her unconscious and becoming submerged in the water, and that the drowning carried her away.”