The grieving children of a Sprowston couple who died within hours of each other believe their mother suffered a 'broken heart'.

John and Ann Corcoran were found at their home in Lindsay Road on January 11. An inquest held in Norwich yesterday heard that the couple, of Lindsay Road, Sprowston, died from an aggressive form of pneumonia.

Their daughter, Joanne, 35, said: 'They had a loving relationship. I believe mum died from a broken heart.

'Their funeral service was held together and we scattered their ashes together in Walcott because it was their favourite place. They were amazing parents and they will be missed very much.'

Mr Corcoran, 64, was found dead in the bedroom while Mrs Corcoran, 58, was collapsed on the kitchen floor. She was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital where she died a few hours later.

Their son, William, 28, said: 'Dad was passionate about everything he did. Our parents believed if you were going to do something, you should put 100pc into it.'

Joanne said her parents doted on her son, Roy, 12, and William's son, Jacob, who was seven months old.

'Dad used to take Roy to the football. They both had season tickets at Carrow Road. He has been going since he was eight. Roy worshipped the ground he walked on.'

The couple married on May 11, 1974, at St George's Church in Sprowston Road.

Mr Corcoran played cricket for Hellesdon Cricket Club and worked as a Norwich City steward while Mrs Corcoran worked as a cook at Norwich Union, as a shorthand typist, and as a dinner lady at St John's Catholic Infant School in Hellesdon.

'They spent their 25th wedding anniversary in Paris. It was very romantic,' Joanne said.

'When we cleared out their house, we found that my mum kept the tickets and sachets from the Eurostar.'

Norfolk Coroner William Armstrong recorded a verdict of natural causes.

'Both had sadly succumbed to an aggressive form of pneumonia,' he said.