A WOMAN suffering from depression took her own life by walking in front of a Metrolink tram, an inquest heard.

Linda Kaminsky (49), of Rectory Gardens, Prestwich, died from multiple injuries after she stepped in front of the tram leaving Prestwich tram station on March 11 last year.

The hearing, held at Bury Town Hall on Tuesday, was told Miss Kaminsky, a former administration worker at Manchester Town Hall, began to suffer from a depressive illness in 1990, which led to fluctuation in her moods, anxiety and caused panic attacks.

Miss Kaminsky felt her condition worsened in 2004, with an increased pressure at work and the fear that she could lose her job. At the same time, she had also taken on the responsibility of caring for her mother who also suffered from bouts of depression.

Just two days before her death, Miss Kaminsky was admitted to the accident and emergency department at Fairfield General Hospital after taking an overdose of the anti-depressant medication she was on at the time. She had made her partner, Mr Peter Burgess, aware of what she had done, and the couple attended the hospital together.

But after an overnight stay, and a number of thorough observations and assessments, mental health staff felt they could not compulsorily detain Miss Kaminsky under the Mental Health Act, and she was discharged to go home. She was also reminded of action she could take in future if she continued to feel the same.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Howard Waring, who had seen Miss Kaminsky in the week before she died, said he felt that the overdose did not indicate at that time that she planned to take her own life.

He said: "She might have just been trying to make herself feel better when she took the overdose. She could have been just trying to get rid of the terrible feeling, rather than wanting to completely end her life."

On March 11, Mr Burgess said that Miss Kaminsky woke up feeling low and spent time chatting in an attempt to lift her mood. When Mr Burgess went from the living room where they had been sitting, Miss Kaminsky left the flat and spent the day travelling round different Metrolink stations. Her family searched for her throughout the day, but to no avail.

At the inquest, CCTV footage was shown of Miss Kaminsky at 6.30pm buying a ticket at Bowker Vale station. But at 9.30pm Miss Kaminsky left the platform at Prestwich station where she walked in front of a passing tram, and died at the scene.

Mr Simon Nelson, coroner for Bury, said: "I believe ultimately that she went to the tram station with the intention of self harming. I believe that there were preparatory acts on her part in attending the tram way station. There was no opportunity for the driver to take action, and in my view, the act was intentional on her part to kill herself."

Mr Nelson concluded in his verdict that Miss Kaminsky had taken her own life while suffering from a depressive illness.