A woman who died after falling from the roof of a town centre store took her own life, an inquest heard.

Zaheda Chopdat, from Blackburn, was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital on the morning of June 29 and was later pronounced dead from multiple injuries.

The inquest in Preston heard that her family had not known she was suffering from mental health problems.

Coroner Richard Taylor said: “Police got a report that a female had fallen from the Primark side of the car park at The Mall in Blackburn.

“CCTV viewed by the police on the day she died, showed that Miss Chopdat had driven her car, alone, to the top floor of the car park before getting out of her car, alone.

“She then jumped from the top of the car park, causing her death.”

Miss Chopdat’s family were at the inquest, and Mr Taylor said that when police were called to the incident they found Miss Chopdat’s car on the top level of the car park, with the keys in the ignition and her bank card inside the vehicle, along with her mobile phone.

He said that her phone was read by officers and was found to contain unsent messages offering apologies and love.

In a statement read out from her GP, Dr Ahmed, Mr Taylor said that Miss Chopdat had never been seen for any mental health issues.

When police spoke to her family following the incident, it was noted that the 26-year-old had seemed to be in good spirits and there were no concerns for her physical or mental well-being.

Mr Taylor said it was clear to see there was no evidence of any suspicious circumstances.

He said: “This will remain for her family, a mystery as to why she would behave in this way.

“There must have been some event in her life for her to make this decision but we cannot say what that was.

“It appears to me that this was deliberate and I make a conclusion of suicide in which Miss Chopdat died from the injuries she sustained from when she jumped.”

A spokesman for the family said: “We pray for her now that she is in the best place, and may God grant her paradise.”

By Amy Farnworth