A YOUNG mum was found hanged in a ward at Burnley General Hospital where she was a patient.

An inquest into the death of 33-year-old mother of three Wendy Ann Dow was adjourned for staff at the hospital to give evidence.

Mrs Dow of Brown Street East, Colne, was found hanged in a psychiatric ward on July 20. She died four days later.

Michael Dow said his wife was a production operative and was born in Bridgenorth, Shropshire.

They had been married for five years. During that time and earlier she had suffered psychiatric problems.

"She heard voices, the depression came along from being in hospital,'' he told East Lancashire Coroner, David Smith.

He added: "She used to say it would be better for us if she were dead. She has made several attempts on her life. "She has taken tablets and once before tried to hang herself on the same ward.''

Mr Dow said his wife was transferred to a secure unit at Blackburn because staff at Burnley said they did not have enough people to watch her.

"They reckoned they did not have the manpower to watch everyone,'' he added. He said that after she returned to Burnley, the children visited her on the Saturday and on the Sunday he played table tennis with her, they went to the cafe.

She did not say anything which gave him cause for complaint.

Adjourning the inquest to a date to be fixed, Mr Smith said he understood the family had been to see a solicitor to make a complaint about what happened at the hospital.

He said he would be calling Mrs Dow's consultant, ward staff and a representative of management to give evidence at the resumed inquest.

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