A YOUNG graduate died on a gap year in Peru because of the effects of altitude sickness, an inquest heard yesterday.

Katrina Jacks, 23, from Chepstow, was found dead in her bed while staying with a local family on an island in Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, 12,530 feet above sea level, the hearing in Gloucester was told.

Former Haberdasher's School for Girls, Monmouth, pupil Miss Jacks, a talented oarswoman, was part of the Welsh rowing eight which won silver in the Commonwealth championships in 2007, took gold at the National Schools Championships, and represented Great Britain at under-16 level.

She had graduated with a first class chemical engineering degree from Imperial College, London, last year, and had walked the Inca Trail and worked in an orphanage in Ecuador during her trip.

Gloucestershire coroner Alan Crickmore, who recorded a verdict of accidental death, heard that Miss Jacks had been at high altitude for some time but that altitude or mountain sickness could have a delayed onset, and the only remedy was to get to lower altitude as quickly as possible.

The inquest heard that Miss Jacks had gone to the island of Alantani with a group of other people.

One of the group, Andre Pearl, was staying with the same host family.

"She played with the couple's daughter in the afternoon and told us about her travels, " he said.

"Then we all went to the top of a hill to watch the sunset and Katrina went up so fast that no-one else could keep up with her."

His sister Catherine added: "At dinner Kate did not eat much and said she felt cold.

"She said she did not feel too well and only had one bottle of coke when we went to the community centre for traditional dancing."

She said Miss Jacks later complained of a headache and that her muscles were aching, thinking she was coming down with a cold. Miss Jacks told her she would take some paracetamol and sleep.

Ms Pearl tried to wake Katrina in the morning on May 16 but was unable to do so, and a doctor found that she had died.

Pathologist Dr John McCarthy said Miss Jacks had died from altitude or mountain sickness, a low level of oxygen which caused pulmonary and cerebral oedema - filling of the lungs with fluid and swelling of the brain.

"Delayed onset oedema can occur much later and the only treatment is to reduce the altitude, something which was not possible in this case," he added.

Mr Crickmore said: "I am satisfied that she died from the effects of altitude sickness and she would not have developed it if she had not been where she was."

Miss Jacks was the daughter of two GPs in the Vauxhall Practice in Chepstow, doctors Alasdair and Susanna Jacks.