A 51 year old woman died as a result of breast cancer which had spread to her brain.

An inquest heard that Rehmat Bi had undergone a mastectomy and chemotherapy which seemed to have been successful.

But a post-mortem examination revealed the breast cancer cells in the brain.

They had caused swelling which compressed the brain stem and caused her death.

Mrs Bi, of Whalley Range, Blackburn, had apparently made a full recovery from the cancer treatment but her son, Babar Hussain, said she started suffering from headaches and was eventually taken into hospital.

CT and MR scans were carried out but doctors could find nothing wrong.

"They said they were stress headaches and whatever was wrong it was not linked to the cancer," said Mr Hussain.

"She was discharged from hospital on three occasions but we didn't think she was fit."

Recording a verdict of natural causes, deputy coroner Carolyn Singleton, said she was sure Mrs Bi's family had been greatly relieved that she appeared to have made a full recovery.

"Unfortunately, as we all know with cancer, it can reappear at any time and that is what has happened her," she added.