The death of a woman who was found in her flat in Ellesmere will remain unexplained after a medical examiner was unable to establish how she died.

Cheryl Jessica Cooke, 51, was found dead at her home in Ellesmere on Tuesday, May 23.

However, because she was found some time after she died - although an exact length of time was not established in the hearing - the coroner recorded an open conclusion.

An inquest was opened on Tuesday, August 1, when it was adjourned for a full hearing this week on November 24, when it was concluded by Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin deputy coroner Heath Westerman in Shirehall, Shrewsbury.

What happens at an inquest and what can the press report?

Reporting on inquests is one of the most difficult jobs faced by any journalist, but there are important reasons why local newspapers attend coroner’s court hearings and report on proceedings.

Here we will try and answer some of your questions about what will happen, what can be reported and why.

The hearing was told the 51-year-old, who was originally from Cheshire, had no relevant medical history and that the police determined there were no suspicious circumstances or third parties involved.

Mr Westerman said that despite a postmortem exam being conducted by a medical examiner the exact cause of death was impossible to determine due to decomposition.

The deputy coroner concluded this inquest would be left with an open conclusion. It is a decision that is usually made when there is insufficient information to explain how a death came about.

Helplines

If you would like any help with bereavement, loss or mental wellbeing, here are some helpline numbers

You can call the Samaritans on 116 123

Papyrus Hopeline on 0800 068 4141

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) on 0800 58 58 58