A YOUNG woman suffered catastrophic head injuries when she fell from a drainpipe as she tried to climb into her boyfriend’s flat, an inquest has heard.

Today (Monday) Lauren Howlett’s family paid tribute to the loving young woman who had got her life back on track after overcoming personal difficulties.

Speaking after the inquest at Teesside Coroners Court, her cousin Dan Howlett said: “We miss her every single day and we are just pleased to know what happened in the final minutes of her life and that she didn’t suffer.

“She was a loving girl from a large family and we are all still struggling to come to terms with the fact she will never be coming back.

“She had had some problems, but had got over them and had her whole life in front of her – we are all devastated.”

The inquest heard how the 23-year-old, of Regent Road, Middlesbrough, fell from the rear of the flats at Albert Mews, in Albert Road, Middlesbrough, at about 3am on May 26 last year when the drainpipe she was climbing gave way from the wall.

Her mother, Lisa, told the hearing that she had received a call from her daughter’s on-off boyfriend at around 2am in the morning asking her to pay for a taxi to take Lauren home, but she never arrived.

Bar worker Alexander Davies said: “I saw a woman falling. She hit a bin and flipped onto the pavement. At first I thought it was a mannequin, but as I got closer I see that the body was a female.”

His colleague, Guy Stevenson, told how he saw a pool of blood around Miss Howlett and that she never appeared to be conscious.

Her mother Lisa described the sense of loss the family felt as a result of Lauren’s death.

She said: “The loss of our daughter was absolutely devastating. Lauren was very much loved by all of us.

"Lauren would always give us a kiss when she went out and would always keep in touch with a text.”

Mrs Howlett became too upset and had to leave the inquest when details of Lauren’s injuries were read out.

Pathologist Nigel Cooper told the inquest that there were traces of alcohol and drugs in her system, but not enough to significantly alter her behaviour.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Teesside Deputy Coroner Tony Eastwood said Miss Howlett suffered catastrophic head injuries that she could not have survived.