THE Cambridgeshire woman found alive in a mortuary after a doctor pronounced her dead had in fact been trying to kill herself.
Ms Daphne Banks (61) was declared dead at her farm home on New Year's Eve. However, when a mortuary attendant came to move her body to a refrigerator, he saw a vein move in her leg and heard her snore.
Yesterday Ms Banks and her husband, Claude, gave a news conference at which their lawyer read a statement describing how she had tried to end her life.
The statement described how Ms Banks had become isolated as she grew older and unable to walk to the nearest village. She is epileptic and is, therefore, not allowed to drive.
"She could not face going on. She took a large quantity of her epilepsy tablets and also some sleeping tablets," the statement said.
Ms Banks, who is still receiving hospital treatment, was dazed by the events of the past 10 days, the solicitor added. "Even now, what actually happened seems to her to be just a story about someone else."
The local health authority said yesterday that the physician, Dr David Roberts, who pronounced Ms Banks dead would not face disciplinary measures. The Banks also said they had decided against taking legal action.