The family of a woman who died after being in a coma for six years believe they will have to sell their home in order to collect her ashes.

Debbie Brown, 32, was left in a persistent vegetative state after she was found unconscious at her home in Wakefield Road, Bradford, in July 1999 after a mystery insulin overdose.

The former horse riding instructor died in March this year but her parents, Pearl and Derek Brown, of Wrose, Shipley, have been unable to pay the £1,700 needed for funeral expenses and collect her ashes.

Mrs Brown, 59, said the strain had led to a nervous breakdown and a failed suicide attempt.

She said: "I have not got my daughter's ashes, I cannot even grieve, I don't know what will happen if I don't get the money, I don't want to even think about it.

"It would be a nightmare."

Mrs Brown, a former nurse, was left unable to work after two operations on her back to correct spinal injuries sustained during her job.

She is cared for by her 53-year-old husband Derek who also suffers from high blood pressure.

Mr Brown works part-time as a security guard earning £600 a month, but all of this is swallowed up by the mortgage, leaving the couple only £724 in benefits to live off.

Mrs Brown said: "We couldn't get funeral insurance because she had brain damage and they knew she was going to die."

She said the Schmieder Clinic Trust Fund for Debbie Brown had raised £5,000 over the six years Debbie was in a coma but the money had all been spent on medical treatments.

Although unable to communicate verbally, Debbie was able to move her eyes towards voices and people in the room and her parents say they could tell when she was distressed or happy. They visited her daily, took her home and for day trips and did much of the caring.

They had also fundraised to provide care for Debbie and had hoped to send her to the specialist neurological Schmieder clinic in Germany for treatment.

Funeral directors W Lever, of Thornton Road, who handled the arrangements, declined to comment on the situation.

A spokesman for the Depart ment for Work and Pensions said: "While we are unable to discuss details of individual cases, payments for help with funeral costs can only be considered where applicants meet certain qualifying conditions.

"The details of all our decisions are provided in writing and our customers are advised that they can apply for a review or appeal if they disagree with the outcome of their claim. The Department for Work and Pensions extends its sympathy to Debbie's family at this sad time."

According to DWP rules only people receiving the following benefits are eligible for help with funeral costs: Income Support, income-based Job Seeker's Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, or Working Tax Credit which includes a disability or severe disability element or child tax credit being paid at a higher rate than the maximum family element.