A 55-year-old mum killed herself after a long battle with her mental health, an inquest has heard.

Beverley Ashworth, from Blackburn, took her own life at her home in Heys Close following a four-decade struggle with depression.

On a crowdfunding page set-up following her death, her family paid tribute to a ‘beloved mother’.

It reads: “After a hard 40-year struggle with depression, recent physical health issues and with the upcoming sixth anniversary of her own mother’s death from cancer, she decided that the time was right for her to end her own life to be reunited with her.”

The hearing at Preston Coroner’s Court heard how a friend of Ms Ashworth’s had grown concerned after they had been unable to contact her.

They phoned the police and after forcing entry into her house, police discovered Ms Ashworth hanged on February 25.

The inquest read out a written statement from PC Paul Ainsworth, of Lancashire Police, which said: “I responded to a report of concern for welfare.

“A friend of Ms Ashworth couldn’t contact her on the phone and had tried knocking on the door and had a key but there was a key inside the door.

“So entry was forced into her property by police and she was discovered hanged.”

A statement from Ms Ashworth’s GP was also written out which confirmed she had been prescribed anti-depressant Sertraline on a regular basis.

It reads: “Ms Ashworth had made no previous suggestion of taking her life.

“She had a previous history of depression in 1988, 2002 and 2014 which she was prescribed medication for.”

A post-mortem examination recorded Ms Ashworth’s medical cause of death as asphyxiation by hanging and that high levels of Sertraline and alcohol were found in her system.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, East Lancashire assistant coroner Richard Taylor, said: “Ms Ashworth was found at her home in Heys Close, Blackburn, on February 25, having suspended herself by the neck.”