Police considered bringing criminal charges against South Central Ambulance Service after a Fair Oak mother collapsed at her home and later died.

A Winchester inquest on Tuesday heard how a lone paramedic did not arrive at Michelle Davies' home until over two hours after a 999 call was made.

By then the 45-year-old, who was known as ‘Chelle, had suffered heart failure and was declared dead when she eventually arrived at hospital.

Senior Central Hampshire coroner Grahame Short has described the lapse in care as “very regrettable”.

Police Detective Sergeant Sarah Dring told the court how manslaughter, neglect and Health and Safety charges were considered in relation to the Ambulance Service's care of Mrs Davies, but none were eventually brought.

Ambulance service investigations officer Alex Grossart said the original 999 alert from the house in Shorts Road was incorrectly given a low priority, and a busy shift meant that no return call was made within the hour, as it should have been.

Mrs Davies began drinking socially whilst serving in the RAF, but went on to develop a long-term problem with alcohol addiction.

She also had a history of mental health issues, including hearing voices, for which she took regular medication.

George Mason told the court he discovered his former partner collapsed at her home in Shorts Road in the early evening of May 19.

Worried she may have overdosed, he rang 999, but no emergency care arrived.

"I expected an ambulance would turn up in due course but they would not think that her life was immediately at risk," he said.

"But I thought they would come to see her and see how she was."

Almost two hours later the Ambulance Service rang back and asked if Mrs Davies could come to the phone.

The operator then ordered Mr Mason to put her into the recovery position.

When a paramedic turned up 15 minutes later, her heart had failed.

"When the Ambulance Service arrived she was breathing," said Mr Mason.

"They were doing everything they could for her."

Mrs Davies was taken to Southampton General Hospital, but was declared dead.

Post mortem analysis by Dr Basil Purdue concluded she had suffered a sudden unexplained death brought on by her drinking addiction, but that there was no alcohol in her blood at the time.

Recording that Mrs Davies’ death was due to natural causes the coroner said: “Dr Purdue was unable to say specifically whether she may have been saved if she had been taken to the hospital earlier.

“I have to say, on the balance of probabilities, I think it’s unlikely she would have been saved.

“I have to say, however, that it’s very regrettable that due to the categorisation by the call handler, that there was a delay in this case.

“And if Dr Purdue had been able to say definitively that it would have made a difference then there clearly would have been a system failure by South Central Ambulance Service.

“There are many demands on the ambulance service.

“The systems should be robust enough, even in busy periods, to cope with the reports they receive.

“Although it’s unavoidable that there will be human factors, there do seem to have been failings in this case.”