Mum, 43, found dead in Blackpool's Stanley Park by early morning dog walker, coroner told

A 43-year-old mum from Blackpool was found dead by a dog walker in Stanley Park at 5.15 in the morning.

Michelle Barlow had parked her car on Blackpool Sports Centre, adjacent to the park in West Park Drive, shortly before midnight the previous evening in February, an inquest at Blackpool, Town Hall heard.

CCTV images obtained by the police following her death showed her walking into the park and the last image seen of her on camera was just under an hour after she had parked her car.

Paramedics called to the scene by the dog walker were unable to revive her and police later found an undated note in her car which included what appeared to be intention to end her life and a message to her children. There were no suspicious circumstances.

A post mortem examination found her cause of death to be hanging. A toxicology test found only evidence only of therapeutic levels of various prescribed medications.

The inquest heard that Ms Barlow had several medical issues, including limited mobility, high blood pressure and irritable bowel syndrome.

She had been seen as an outpatient at Blackpool Victoria Hospital the day before her death regarding an a procedure related to her digestive system.

Ms Barlow also had a history of mental health issues, being under the care of the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust mental health crisis outreach team for a time after an attempt to take her own life last year.

The inquest heard she had not been on anti-depressant medication for some time.

Her mother told the inquest she had been speaking to Ms Barlow on the phone earlier on the evening she drove to the sports centre and they had talked about future plans.

Blackpool and Fylde chief coroner Alan Wilson returned a conclusion of suicide.

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