A County Durham woman whose car was found abandoned on a bridge took her own life, an inquest has concluded.

Shola Marsden’s Audi was found deserted on the Humber Bridge crossing on May 18, Crook Coroners Court heard on Monday (August 12).

Her body was found two days later on May 20 by a worker at the New Holland Dock, about 3.6 miles east as the crow flies. Police were called and the marine team retrieved her body from the water.

The inquest heard the apprentice solicitor from Esh Winning had struggled after the death of her friend by suicide on her birthday just weeks earlier, March 29.

It was told she had previously driven towards the bridge on April 20 but did not get there.

Police and paramedics found her at the A64 and Shola was sectioned and taken to a mental hospital. She was released within five days and had no history of mental illness prior to that.

But on May 18 she again drove to the bridge, parking up, and was captured on CCTV falling into the water. Inside the car was a quarter of a bottle of vodka, a handbag, mobile phones and her passport. A toxicology report said she alcohol levels of had 113mg/100ml – the legal driving limit is 80mg.

A post-mortem examination concluded the 21-year-old died of injuries from a fall and immersion in water.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, Assistant Coroner Dr Leslie Hamilton said Shola was “clearly affected by the death of a close friend by suicide”.

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