A 19-year-old woman collapsed and died after sniffing deodorant to get high, an inquest has heard.

Elizabeth Nolan, who lived on a travellers’ site, in Bishops Grove, Hampton, burst out of the bathroom of her caravan clutching her head in agony before suffering a cardiac arrest.

The mother-of-one was thought to have sprayed Sure antiperspirant into a towel and inhaled it.

Mrs Nolan’s family said they hoped her death on October 6 last year would raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse and children in the traveller community had already become more wary. Her mother Josie Connors said: “In the traveller community a lot of kids would never do it again because they know. She has saved hundreds of lives.”

Mrs Nolan’s cousin Grace Connors added: “It would be good to make shopkeepers aware so they look out for kids buying it.”

Coroner Alison Thompson ruled at an inquest at West London Coroner’s Court on Thursday, April 19, that Mrs Nolan died by misadventure.

Neighbours living in Dean Road, Hampton, called the police at about 11.15pm on October 1 because they heard shouting and thought there was a fight in the travellers’ site.

Officers arrived to find friends desperately trying to resuscitate Mrs Nolan on the floor of the caravan. Paramedics took her to West Middlesex Hospital but she suffered irreversible brain damage and died five days later. Miss Thompson noted the ingredients on the deodorant included bupane and propane. Pathologist Judith O’Higgins was unable to find any traces of the substances but Mrs Nolan had a habit of sniffing antiperspirants, the inquest heard.

Doctor O’Higgins said: “You can be psychologically addicted to experience this high or a change of mind.”

She said inhaled substances from deodorants disappeared very quickly from body tissues, and said: “The problem in this case was she was resuscitated and had spent a considerable amount of time in hospital. If she had died straight away I might have had a chance.

“I think even if the hospital had been told about the spray any earlier, I don’t think it would have made any difference.” Miss Thompson said: “It’s always a tragedy to see such an unnecessary death with somebody so young.

“She may have saved the lives of some of her friends and other members of the community because they will be aware now, they will be frightened.”