A STARVING dog ate part of its owner's hand as her dead body lay undiscovered for weeks, an inquest heard.

Mary Houlden , 70, was found at her home in Walkers Green, Marden on August 30 by her nephew.

The inquest at Herefordshire Coroner's Court heard Miss Houlden led a solitary life and did not answer the door to unexpected visitors.

Miss Houlden's nephew Paul Larratt went to her home, which she shared with her Jack Russell, Poppy, after she had not been seen in her village for a couple of weeks.

Poppy came to the letter box but a smell prompted him to look at the back of the property where he found her body in the doorway of the conservatory.

In a statement read to the court, Detective Constable Catherine Taylor, said Miss Houlden's body was badly decomposed and her arm had been found away from her body, with fingers missing, and it was believed her dog was responsible.

She said there were also torn food wrappers inside the bungalow as the dog desperately searched for food.

Due to the body's decomposition the pathologist was not able to record a cause of death.

Coroner Mark Bricknell recorded an open verdict.

He said he was satisfied the death was not suspicious and added: "We do not have sufficient evidence to evaluate whether the death was accidental following a trip or fall or whether it was natural causes."