Mystery surrounds the death of a schizophrenic mother who was found dead at a care home, an inquest heard.

Pamela Walton, 53, suffered for several years with mental health problems, epilepsy and diabetes. She was found dead in her room at the Gatehouse care home on the site of Littlemore Hospital, Oxford, on August 20, last year.

Ms Walton was admitted to the home following a long history of mental illness.

She had a frontal lobe removed from her brain earlier in her life and was showing signs of improved health.

An inquest, held at Oxford Coroner's Court, revealed she suffered head injuries following a fall on stairs at the home on January 13 last year, and underwent further surgery.

After several months' convalescence she returned to the care home.

Medical staff reported Ms Walton's health was improving and she showed no sign of illness on the day she was found dead.

Clinical research nurse Virginia Sneade said she had looked in on Ms Walton at about 3pm. She was not breathing, so the nurse called for help. The patient was later declared dead at Oxford's Radcliffe Infirmary.

Ms Sneade said: "She looked like she was asleep. I called her name, but there was no response."

Consultant pathologist professor Margaret Esiri said despite extensive tests as part of the post-mortem, it was not possible to say categorically what the actual cause of Ms Walton's death was.

She added: "I felt unable to give a clear cause of death."

Oxfordshire coroner Nicholas Gardiner recorded a verdict of death by natural causes.