A young mum-of-two was found dead at her Braintree home after taking a lethal cocktail of drugs and alcohol, an inquest has heard.

Amy-Jane Stoakes, 24, of Falkland Court, had mental health problems and died on February 16 last year after a night out in Braintree, Chelmsford Coroners Court heard last Tuesday.

A post-mortem found levels of cocaine, zopiclone and fluoxetine as well as alcohol in Miss Stoakes’ body.

The court heard that she had previously sent depressive texts, which said that she was thinking of slitting her wrists and taking her own life.

She had self-harmed the week before her death, on February 9.

David Gardner, 52, a full-time carer for her mum, Sarah, 45, said that his stepdaughter, a trained chef, was a typical TOWIE girl and was the “life and soul of the party”.

See this week's Braintree and Witham Times for the full story.