Mephedrone linked to death of woman, 24

The party drug mephedrone is likely to have contributed to a woman's death, an inquest heard. Lois Waters, 24, was also taking antidepressants and the combination may have affected an underlying undetected heart condition.

Ms Waters, from Norton, near Malton, North Yorkshire, was found dead at a friend's house on 22 March, two days after taking mephedrone, also known as M-Cat, the inquest in Scarborough heard.

Mephedrone was legal at the time but has since been reclassified as a class B drug.

Recording a verdict of misadventure, the coroner, Michael Oakley, said: "We know from the evidence that she has taken mephedrone... The drugs she had been taking, possibly working in conjunction with the [antidepressants], could affect her heart."