Hairdresser was suffering from anxiety and depression - Coroner

Wendy Hodgetts suffered  serious head injuries after falling from  the tower block, on Wallace Close, Brades estate into scaffolding on September 16.

Her fall was witnessed by builders working on the site who tried to reach her through a mechanical lifting device and had to move out of the way as she fell, an inquest heard.

Miss Hodgetts, aged 40, was not living at the property but regularly stayed there and had written a message on the wall saying she was having the last laugh and "see you in heaven.'" There were also written notes found there which were not legible.

She had been referred to the Dudley Talking Therapies counselling service in April and although she had not used their services since,  her mother said prior to her death Miss Hodgetts had told her the anxiety had spiralled.

On the day of her death the inquest at Oldbury heard, site manager for Lovell Construction Alex Russell had been sitting in his office working when people working outside alerted him to a person sitting on the ledge of the 17 floor property.

They observed her and thought she might be looking to throw herself off so Mr Russell and his colleagues got some lifting equipment in an attempt to reach her.

But before they could, she threw herself off, with witnesses saying she 'launched' off the balcony and the builders had to move out of the way.

She was taken to Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital with a traumatic brain injury and fractures and later died from her injuries.

Senior Coroner Joanne Lees said Miss Hodgetts had been living with family after a failed relationship and was going through a period of depression.

She said she could come to no other conclusion than that the death was as the result of a deliberate act.