Mystery surrounds the death of a young mum discovered dead on the couch by her best friend.

Susan Woolfall, 31, was found lifeless by pal Karen O’Leary in the home they shared on Walmsley Close, Church.

Karen said her friend had suffered from a nasty cough before her death but had not kept any appointments to get it checked out by a doctor.

Karen, 43, said she had got up to find Susan’s body on the sofa on Tuesday, March 29.

It is thought Susan had awoken early that morning.

Susan - also known as Sue - leaves behind a seven-year-old daughter, Charlie-Mai.

She was a keen member of Belmont Morris Dancers club where she had danced since the age of 10.

Police said there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the mum-of-one’s tragic death.

Karen, a mum-of-two, said: “I really don’t know what’s happened.

“I didn’t hear her getting up but could hear her coughing a little.

“My son was staying over and got up to go to work at 7.20am and spoke to Susan, who was sat on the settee, before he left. My daughter was asleep upstairs. I got up and went across to my friends then came back. 

“I remember looking at her in the living room and saying ‘Sue what are you doing?’ and she didn’t reply.

“I walked up to her and noticed she had gone. I went to get Susan’s daughter and ran out of the house shaking.”

Former care worker Susan had been living with Karen at the house  since February last year after moving over from Oswaldtwistle. 

A post-mortem was carried out this week.

Susan was described as an active and lovely character by Karen, but she said her best friend had started with a cough just before Christmas last year.

“I never thought anything of the cough,” said Karen. “I just thought it was because she was smoking.

“But she started struggling getting upstairs so I made her an appointment to go to the doctor on the Thursday before she died but she cancelled it.

“That cough she had seemed to get worse and worse but we still can't get our heads round it.

“It was only the night before that she'd asked me to get her some Vimto from the shop and we were laughing and having a nice night."

Police said mum-of-one Susan Woodfall, 31, was discovered on the morning of Tuesday, March 29 at a property on Walmsley Close in Church.

DI Claire Holbrook, of Accrington CID, said: “On the face of it this appears to be a very tragic death of a young lady.  We are not treating it as suspicious.”

Karen met Susan when her daughter began morris dancing at the Belmont Morris Dancers Club - where Susan had been a member since childhood.

Paying tribute to her pal Karen said: “She was a nice girl who would do anything for you. I just can’t believe she has gone.

“She danced for 21 years and was very good, very talented. She was still doing it recently and loved the exercise.” She added: “She was a lovely girl.

“If her little girl wanted anything she would get it. Her daughter knows she has gone and says she’s up in heaven looking down on us with her grandma.”

A tribute to Susan on the Belmont Morris Dancers website, said: "With deep sadness we remember Susan Woolfall. Our deepest sympathy goes out to her family and
especially her seven-year-old daughter.  Sue was a great friend to all and danced with us for a number of years. We will miss you Sue, goodnight and god bless. You're reunited with your mum Michelle now.”

Susan’s family and friends will say their final goodbyes to her on Tuesday, April 12 at her funeral at Blackburn Crematorium.

Her mum Michelle had died from cancer four years ago. An inquest into Sue's death was opened on April 1 and adjourned to be held on May 17 this year in Blackburn.