Cause of Death

Sixty-three--year-old Raymond Rahamatally is found deceased with a severe wound to his hip and cuts and abrasions on his hands. With no sign of criminal involvement, it is down to Lancashire Coroner's officers to try and ascertain the cause of death. A history of heart disease in the family could provide a clue, but he also suffered terrible injuries to his legs from a medical condition. Plus, a dramatic 999 call leads to a body in an outbuilding.

Lancashire Police investigate when the body of a man is found in a field. The circumstances are mysterious, part of his ear is missing, and he is discovered laid on top of his wellington boots. Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley orders a home office post-mortem to help investigate the case. And DI Paul Price must try to establish who the man is and how he died. But identifying him at all proves a huge challenge. In Preston, the coroner's team examine the case of a young woman found collapsed at home. They need to find out whether she could have deliberately harmed herself or suffered a terrible accident.

A homeless man is found dead in his temporary accommodation in Blackburn, but the circumstances are not as straightforward as they seem. Investigations by the Lancashire coroner's team, reveal that he not only checked himself out of hospital hours earlier, but he had previously been the victim of a nasty assault. The Coroner's team must investigate whether this attack could have contributed to his death. Meanwhile in Preston, paramedics are called to the flat of a young woman who has been found dead after complaining of a bad chest. Are the two things related?

A man is found dead in the water while on holiday in Egypt with his wife. After his embalmed body is repatriated, Dr Adeley and his team must establish the facts and decipher whether snorkeling could be the cause of his death. Home office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers, with an interest in diving, investigates the case. A recovering alcoholic in her early fifties is found dead at home. To uncover the truth behind her sudden death, Dr. Adeley and his team must conduct an invasive post-mortem examination.