A MALVERN woman who fell ill on a dream cruise died from natural causes, a coroner has ruled.

Mary Smith, of Orford Way, was on a cruise around the Baltic Sea with her husband Tony when she fell ill.

Speaking to your Worcester News after her death, Mrs Smith’s family claimed she was diagnosed with food poisoning by the onboard doctor, although P&O denied there were any cases of norovirus on the cruise ship.

The 67-year-old was confined to her cabin after becoming violently ill, but she was able to finish the cruise and was well enough to return home when the Oriana docked in Southampton.

Mr Smith said his wife appeared to be recovering before suddenly going downhill and had to be admitted to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

She died there on Monday, August 10, from septicaemia and cancer of the bile duct.

At an inquest into her death on Wednesday, Worcestershire coroner Geraint Williams ruled she died from natural causes.