A mum took her own life after sending text messages to friends and family telling them she loved them.

Nicola Hanley’s mother, Janet Ross, told an inquest in Preston that her 49-year-old daughter had become withdrawn and depressed during the last weeks of her life and said her ‘turbulent’ relationship had resulted in her no longer laughing as she used to.

Nicola, who had sent a message to her mum at 2.09am telling her she loved her, was found dead at her home in Petre Wood Crescent in Langho on December 31, by her then partner Christopher Robinson.

Preston Coroner’s Court heard that on December 30, the mum-of-two had been in the pub, dancing with friends.

A statement from her then partner, which was read to the court, said that he arrived at the pub to meet her just after 10pm, and when he tried to talk with her she pushed him away.

Mr Robinson’s statement read: “She was very intoxicated and had been drinking for some time. I tried to talk with her, but she ignored me.”

Mr Robinson said Nicola became upset and tried to walk home alone before getting in a taxi and leaving.

His statement explained that the following day he woke at around 10am and saw he’d received a text from her at around 2.10am which read, “I will always love you”. He tried to call her a few times, but she didn’t pick up.

Mr Robinson went to her house and knocked on the door but there was no answer, so he went to her parents’ home and asked for the spare key.

When he entered the property he could hear loud music playing before finding Nicola dead upstairs.

In a statement, Mrs Ross said she believed “her relationship problems had caused her mental health issues and she had deteriorated and had become withdrawn and didn’t laugh like she used to”.

Her daughter Cory also said she’d received a message from her mum and tried to call her around 12.30pm on December 31 but received no response and when she called her grandmother, concerned, she could hear Mr Robinson in the background saying, “she’s killed herself”.

She said: “In the last weeks before her death she had stopped eating and she had lost weight. She became withdrawn and we no longer laughed or spoke like we used to.”

Mrs Ross said: “I just think that before she died we lost her, we lost her months before due to the situation. She wasn’t the girl that we knew and loved, she deteriorated. I’ve never seen someone so unhappy.”

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A friend, Margaret Twist, who had been out with her on December 30 said she seemed to have been in a daze and in a world of her own, but managed to snap out of it later into the night, although she did say to her friends, “Don’t forget I love you all and we will always be friends”, which she found a bit odd.

Nicola was found the following day by Mr Robinson, with Coroner Laura Fox recording a suicide conclusion.

Coroner Fox said: “She was a much-loved sister, mother and daughter and friend.

“She did have relationship problems which caused her distress. Her mental health and wellbeing had deteriorated recently and she didn’t laugh like she once had.

“It’s nothing short of tragic that upon returning home alone she sent a series of text messages that expressed love and sorrow.”

If you're struggling with your mental health or are in crisis, you can call Samaritans free of charge on 116 123 - they're available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.