A former drugs counsellor died of a fatal cocktail of heroin and Diazepam, an inquest heard yesterday.

Mum-of-one Caroline Blackburn, 36, of Hill Top Crescent, Upper Hopton, died in June this year after her partner Peter Thompson and her father found her collapsed on the sofa.

At Huddersfield Coroner’s Court, assistant coroner Mary Burke said the former drugs and alcohol counsellor had a history of dependency on illicit drugs but that period had been “some considerable time ago.”

Ms Blackburn has a 13-year-old daughter and Mrs Burke added: “With the birth of her daughter her family believed she had not taken drugs since that time.”

Mrs Burke said Ms Blackburn had suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome (ME), asthma and depression.

She was eventually made redundant from the job “she loved” but was insured so did not have to worry about money.

In February 2010 Ms Blackburn appeared on the popular Channel 4 TV show Come Dine With Me.

The inquest was told that on the day of her death she behaved normally and gave no indication of anything being amiss.

Mrs Burke said when Mr Thompson spoke to his girlfriend at lunchtime he had no cause for concern.

Mrs Burke said: “Caroline took her daughter to a dance class and sent her father a text at 1.21pm asking if he would collect his granddaughter.

“Nothing gave her father any cause for concern. He dropped the daughter off at Hill Top Crescent.

“He wanted to ensure that his granddaughter got inside, however, she couldn’t get in because both doors were locked.

“She saw her mother slumped over a sofa and alerted Caroline’s father. He contacted Caroline’s partner who returned to the property with a key.”

She appeared to have been sick and was unresponsive.

Although Mr Thompson attempted to revive her and paramedics tried their best also she was confirmed dead later that day.

A syringe was found in the lounge along with a bag containing a brown substance.

A toxicology report established that heroin was present in her blood at high enough levels to have caused her death and, in addition, a higher than therapeutic level of Diazepam was found.

Mrs Burke read out a statement from Mr Thompson, who was Ms Blackburn’s partner for 11 years, which said her death “has devastated me and left me in complete shock.

“I can’t believe she has been taken away from me.”

Mrs Burke ruled that Ms Blackburn death was drugs-related.

When she appeared on Come Dine With Me she appeared with another Mirfield mum and told a local paper how much she enjoyed the experience.