A WOMAN who suffered chronic back pain and was killed when she was hit by a train at a level crossing took her own life, an inquest has heard.

A WOMAN who suffered chronic back pain and was killed when she was hit by a train at a level crossing took her own life, an inquest has heard.

Sharon Steward, 33, of Needham Market, died on February 27 this year after climbing out of her bedroom window and leaving a note for her parents.

The inquest into her death, held on Monday at Ipswich Crown Court, heard how she had severe back problems and had undergone four operations since 2000.

However despite extensive tests doctors were unable to discover the cause of her pain and it eventually became so bad that she had to stop work.

The inquest heard that the day before her death her parents returned to their Stowmarket Road home from a day out to find that their daughter had taken 30 paracetamol.

She was taken to Ipswich Hospital but she assured doctors she was not trying to end her life and only took the overdose to try and ease the pain in her back.

It was agreed that she should return home and the next evening her mother watched television with her in her bedroom before saying goodnight.

The next morning at around 6.15am she went into her daughters' room and found that she was not there and that it looked as if she had left the house through her window, the inquest heard.

The police were contacted and her parents were later told that a body had been found on the railway line at the level crossing in Gypsy Lane, Needham Market.

Greater Suffolk coroner Dr Peter Dean said: “A full assessment was carried out at Ipswich Hospital following the overdose but at this point in time she was quite persuasive that this was impulsive and not intended to harm herself.

“Whether it was a genuine impulse or whether she was concealing her inner feelings we can only speculate.

“The incident that led to her tragic death - clearly on that occasion she had thought about what she was going to do. She had left a note and clearly left the home in a way that would minimise the chances of her being discovered.

“It does appear that she both understood and sadly intended the consequences of her actions. Therefore I record a verdict that she took her own life.”

Following his conclusion Dr Dean was quick to praise the deceased's parents who he said had done everything they could for her and had given her an enormous amount of support during a difficult time.