A Stroud grandmother who worried about catching Covid-19 and giving it to her family killed herself by standing in front of a train when she felt 'a little under the weather' with symptoms of a cold, an inquest heard today.

Assistant Gloucestershire Coroner Roland Wooderson ruled that her death when she was hit by an express passenger train on September 29 last year was suicide.

The inquest heard that at 5.38am emergency services received a 999 call reporting a person struck by a train.

A report from her GP surgery, Locking Hill, Stroud, said she had visited in 2007 with issues relating to her mental health and a long standing problem with anxiety. Her anxiety at that time had led her to finish her job and change career.

In 2013 she told her GP she had 'intense anxiety' and sometimes experienced suicidal thoughts. She admitted having visited a train track two months earlier but commented "It was not as easy as you think."

British Transport Police investigator John Wilson said his enquiries revealed that the woman, who was in her 60s, went to bed at 10.15pm on September 28.

"She was a little under the weather and thought she had caught a cold," said Mr Wilson. "Her husband last saw her at 2am. At 7.30am he realised she was missing and reported this.

"At 5.24am that morning the driver of an express train saw a person standing facing him on the track . That person made no effort to move and was struck. The lady was identified from fingerprints.

"The train was a passenger service to London. The driver said he was shocked to see a person standing in front of him on the line and staring at him. The person made no attempt to move but her head dropped just prior to her being struck.

"The family are at a complete loss as to why this has happened as she displayed no warning signs prior to death."

The Samaritans helpline is available 24/7 by calling 116 123.