A TEENAGE boy frantically tried to support the weight of a woman who had hanged herself as he untied the bed sheet from around her neck.
An inquest heard that two of his friends felt unable to enter the house to help the 14-year-old boy who was described as "distraught" by the first police officer to arrive at the scene.
After discovering the body of Cherisse Marie Newton, the youngster later told police he had seen her an hour earlier when she had seemed fine.
Miss Newton, 22, of Harvey Street, Oswaldtwistle, was said by her mother, Paula Newton, to be suffering from post-natal depression following the birth of her second child.
But Mrs Newton, of Fountains Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, also said that when she saw her daughter the day before she had given her no cause for concern.
She said: "We had been shopping, buying things for her new house.
"She wouldn't tell me if there was anything wrong, she used to bottle things up, but there was nothing that caused me any concern."
The teenager was interviewed by a specially-trained officer. He told her he knew Miss Newton because she was a friend of his parents.
He had seen her on the doorstep of her home on the afternoon of 27 August and they had chatted about a fashion show at the youth club where Cherisse helped out.
The boy returned an hour later and there was no answer when he knocked.
He pushed the door open and saw Miss Newton hanging from a white sheet that had been tied round the banister.
He shouted to two friends who were nearby before running into the house.
He lifted Miss Newton up and supported her weight on his right knee while he tried to untie the sheet from around her neck.
He eventually undid it from around the banister and lowered Miss Newton to the floor.
The medical cause of death was given as hanging and deputy coroner Carolyn Singleton said it was clear Miss Newton had some problems relating to depression.
She said: "I don't know why she has done this but the evidence leads me inevitably to the conclusion that she has killed herself."
