The parents of a Flintshire woman who had a long-standing problem with drink described her as a “Jekyll and Hyde” character.

Speaking at an inquest in Ruthin Andrew McClean said that Laura was “a beautiful, happy girl, highly intelligent” but her problems started 20 years ago.

Her mother Sandra described her as “delightful” but said she could be “challenging” when under the influence of alcohol.

The inquest in Ruthin heard that Miss McClean, 39, had been diagnosed as having alcohol dependency syndrome and had contact with the substance abuse service, but her mother commented: “She never really bought into the efforts made to help her conquer it.”

Mr McClean said his daughter sometimes drank a bottle of vodka and spent the next two or three days recovering, but he added: “I miss her dreadfully.”

Miss McClean died on April 21 last year at the home she shared with her father in Poppy Field Drive, Penyffordd.

A post-mortem examination revealed that she died of a fatty liver, the result of long-term alcohol abuse.

Joanne Lees, assistant coroner for North Wales East and Central, recorded it as an alcohol-related death.