A Newcastle woman who took her life while visiting Tenby had a history of mental health problems and had threatened to jump from a cliff in the past, an inquest has heard.

Maryam Cook, 63, was described as an “Independent woman who had no close friends”.

After a trip to Africa she became very religious.

In her spare time she helped out with church and charities.

The inquest heard that Mrs Cook suffered from paranoid thoughts and had fallen out with her son and her neighbours, believing that they were spying on her.

In recent years she had phoned her son to say she was at Beachy Head, where she gave the impression she was going to jump.

In June this year, the police became concerned about Mrs Cook’s mental health after she threatened to harm herself.

On June 9 Mrs Cook agreed to go to hospital for an assessment and left in a hurry to sort things out at home.

The following day she failed to turn up to hospital.

She withdrew £5,000 from her bank account and sent an email to a church friend saying she was going away for a while.

She went to Scotland and then to Tenby, where she stayed in two different hotels and visited religious buildings.

On the morning of June 22 she came down from her room at 5.45am, handed in her key at reception and left.

At 8.20am a couple in Tenby saw an object floating in the sea around 20 metres off North Beach.

The emergency services were notified and Mrs Cook’s body was recovered from the sea.

Pembrokeshire coroner heard that there was no knowledge of Mrs Cook’s movements between 5.45am and 8.20am.

A post mortem revealed a blood alcohol level of 229 per 100 ml, nearly three times above legal drink drive limit.

The cause of death was given as drowning.

“There is a background history of somebody with long standing mental health problems who had threatened to take her life by jumping from cliffs in the past,” said Pembrokeshire coroner, Mark Layton.

“From the evidence I have heard I conclude she has taken deliberate steps to end her life.”