A MUM was found dead in a hole at a beach after racking up £6,000 in credit card debt during the cost of living crisis.
Lorna Bartlett, 62, drove to one of her favourite dog walking spots after being overcome with feelings of “hopelessness”.
3Lorna Bartlett was found dead in a hole on a beach
3The 62-year-old overdosed after suffering from anxiety about rising energy billsThe anxious mum, from Cornwall, had stockpiled prescribed medication before crawling into the hole, an inquest heard today.
Her body was found a few days after when a volunteer coastguard found a green wellie and socks nearby.
Her partner David Coon said Lorna’s anxiety levels had increased as she worried herself about rising energy costs.
One of her sons, Aaron Bartlett, told the hearing “money was a struggle” and she was concerned about the “rising cost of living and energy price rises”.
Lorna hadn’t worked at her care home job for a year because of her declining mental health.
Despite this, her son said she “never shared anything that was bothering her”.
A port mortem revealed she died from a mixed drug overdose.
Det Con Lucy Edwards told the coroner Lorna was found in the early hours.
But said she did not know when Lorna took the overdose or why she crawled into the hole.
The detective added there were no suspicious circumstances.
The senior coroner for Cornwall, Andrew Cox, said it appeared Lorna “secreted herself in a hole”.
He said the circumstances were unusual and ruled her death as suicide.
You’re Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
Movember, www.uk.movember.com
Anxiety UK www.anxietyuk.org.uk, 03444 775 774 Monday-Friday 9.30am-10pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-8pm
Story Credit: thesun.co.uk