A MOTHER who suffocated herself using a plastic bag had refused to seek help for her apparent depression.

68-year-old Fatemah Nemati, of Bury Old Road, Prestwich, was already dead when a police officer found her lying in bed.

The alarm was raised when Mrs Nemati failed to pick up her daughter from Piccadilly Station late one Friday evening in January.

Jila Parastar got a lift from a friend when her mother did not appear, but arrived at her parents' house to find that it was locked.

There was no response from inside and police were eventually called, who woke neighbours for a key.

After entering the house PC Philip Laing found Mrs Nemati lying in a second floor bedroom with the bag over her head.

A post-mortem revealed that she had died of asphyxia.

Mrs Nemati had come to Britain from Iran 27 years ago and had three children living away from home, two in the United States.

At the time of the incident, her husband had been in California to visit the couple's son.

There were no financial problems and Mrs Nemati, who once worked as a volunteer with disabled children, appeared in good physical health.

She had been admitted to hospital in the mid-1980s and told nurses that she wanted to die.

However, despite being obviously unhappy, she had not sought help since.

Mrs Parastar said: "She was a very depressed person but she never got any professional help."

There was no cause for concern when arrangements for the visit were made two days earlier, said Mrs Parastar.

Recording his verdict, Bury district coroner Simon Nelson said that Mrs Nemati had taken her own life while the balance of her mind was disturbed.

Mr Nelson said he felt sure that professional help would have benefited her greatly.

He added: "Clearly Mrs Nemati had some very fine qualities. Notwithstanding that she did have certain difficulties, but the root cause of her unhappiness will perhaps remain a mystery."