Charlotte Woodward, who suffered from a borderline personality disorder and frequently self harmed, died on September 16, 2007, three days after dousing herself in petrol and setting herself alight.

She had been discharged from Whiston Hospital's Sherdley Unit, a ward for people suffering mental health problems, just hours before returning to the unit and engulfing herself in flames.

The 29-year-old, who also suffered from bulimia and was often spotted on motorway bridges by police, had earlier taken three prescription drug overdoses in five days, St Helens Coroners Court was told yesterday (Tuesday).

However, coroner Christopher Sumner adjourned the hearing until later this year after it emerged a key witness - a consultant instrumental in Mrs Woodward's care - was unable to attend due to illness.

The court was told yesterday (Tuesday) harrowing details from the day of Mrs Woodward's death.

Det Insp John McCarthy, based at the force crime operations unit, led the investigation.

He said: "Following her discharge on September 13, a friend lent Mrs Woodward £10 to buy petrol and accompanied her to the garage - but thought it was for her husband's car. Mrs Woodward then asked to be left alone and started pouring petrol over herself.

"A catering assistant at the hospital heard cries of 'she's got petrol' and asked Mrs Woodward for the cigarette lighter she had borrowed earlier that day. Mrs Woodward told her to get back and set herself alight. The catering assistant passed out in shock.

"Other witnesses who tried to help were beaten back by the flames as the petrol on the ground ignited before hospital staff put the fire out using a blanket. Mrs Woodward suffered extensive burns to at least 60 per cent of her body."

The court was also told how clinical psychologist Dr Rani Prasad who held a consultation with Mrs Woodward at Whiston Hospital on September 11 reported that the patient had taken an overdose in hospital's toilet before meeting her.

She said: "Mrs Woodward was in an unstable condition, was walking unsteadily and had slurred speech.

"She told me she hadn't eaten for a couple of weeks and was vomiting twice a day. She had taken two overdoses and had been in hospital for two nights the previous weekend.

"I was very concerned so I called an ambulance and went to casualty with her. She told me she wanted to die from this overdose because she was unable to cope."

A psychiatrist, Dr Petronella Nkonde, from the Newton-le-Willows community mental health team, who stepped in to take over Mrs Woodward's care that week because another staff member was on annual leave, then described how the plan to discharge Mrs Woodward unfolded on September 13.

She said: "Doctors on the Sherdley Unit told me Mrs Woodward was interacting well with staff and patients and posed no management problems. There was no expression of thoughts of self harm and Mrs Woodward told me she was feeling a lot better. When I told her she was being discharged she agreed and did not protest or express any anxieties."

Pathologists recorded the cause of death as inhalation of fire, hot gases and severe burns.

Coroner Christopher Sumner adjourned the remainder of the part-heard inquest until later this year.