A LACK of co-operation between Spanish and British authorities means the full story of the death of a mother-of- two who fell from the fifth floor of a Spanish hotel are unlikely ever to be revealed.

Janet Collier, 40, of South Avenue, Leigh died after plunging from the balcony of the room she was sharing with two friends at the Hotel Monaco in Benidorm.

Before recording a verdict that Janet died on October 3, 1999 "as a result of an accident" coroner Mr Aidan Cotter said at a Leigh inquest that the information he had been provided was "totally inadequate" in spite of repeated requests for more details from the Spanish authorities since the incident on October 3, 1999.

The inquest heard a statement made by Janet's mother, Doreen Collier, in which she said her daughter had been to Benidorm earlier in 1999 and enjoyed it so much she decided to return later in the year.

Janet had phoned her mum on the afternoon she arrived. "She was on holiday, she was happy," said Mrs Collier.

Then two days later she rang again to say she had fallen, banged her head and hurt her back.

"She phoned one more time and said she was much better and was going shopping to get me my birthday present."

When asked if Janet had ever spoken of suicide Mrs Collier said her daughter had always she didn't understand how anybody could kill themselves when they had children.

The deceased had gone on holiday with two of her friends, Christine Pitchford, 47, of Waterview Park, Leigh and Lynne West, 39. Lynne said she and Janet were waiting for the hotel lift when Janet fell, banging her head.

She said: "She was looking through a window, she turned, her eyes were glazed over and she fell and banged her head. She was having a fit. Here eyes were rolling and she was shaking. I turned her over on her side and ran downstairs to reception."

She estimated the fit lasted five minutes and a doctor attended. She said the fall left Janet with a painful back and head. Shortly before her tragic death she had opted to stay in because the soreness had dampened her enthusiasm.

Christine Pitchford said Janet had fallen and hurt her back on the second day of the holiday. On the fateful night of her death the trio went to the hotel bar where Janet drank two cokes but decided to go back to the hotel room while the other two went out.

When they returned in the early hours they found their room locked. They obtained a spare key from reception but they could not open the door.

They went back downstairs where the receptionist told them "she's gone -- she's fallen". Police forced the hotel room door which had been locked from the inside. A report from the Spanish authorities said at 2.50am a person had been found lying on the ground at the Hotel Monaco. Pathologist Dr Iqbal Singh Dhersi said a post mortem examination had already been conducted elsewhere and he agreed with Spanish findings. Cause of death was multiple injuries consistent with a fall from a height.

Hotel receptionist Jose Gonzalez had seen her fall. Police had forced the door to room 511 but found the room empty. The coroner said compared to British standards the police report was very limited, without statements and without photographs. He said repeated requests for more information had been ignored.

He said: "I have had no response at all. It is unsatisfactory and has taken a lot of time even to reach this stage. In my experience this is not unusual. We just don't have enough information.

"Somebody said they heard some commotion coming from the room at the time Janet was discovered -- well there would be when the police forced open the door."

Mr Cotter said he had contacted another hotel guest from County Durham who was in the room directly above 511 and he reported no disturbance.

The Spanish report suggested Janet had suffered a "violent death, probably by suicide".

But coroner Mr Cotter said: "That is a suggestion of which there is no evidence at all. On the evidence before me there is no possible justification that she took her own life.

"It seems to be at least highly probable she was on the balcony and had a fainting fit and fell. I would like to have had a picture from the Spanish authorities of that balcony but there is no realistic chance of getting that information -- but it's not for lack of trying.

"I think it is totally and utterly unsatisfactory for coroners to have to hold inquests for deaths that occur abroad. Families have to wait for up to four years for an inquest and it raises more questions than it answers."