HELEN Mann's husband told the inquest into her death that she had gone back inside the house as she was leaving for work on Monday, November 5 as she had forgotten to give her son James a kiss.

Mrs Mann, 43, was found hanged at Sytchampton Endowed First School that day which was her first day back following a month of sick leave.

Worcestershire Coroner's Court heard that Mrs Mann had also taken an overdose of prescribed sleeping pills 10 days before she was found dead at the school.

Husband Philip Mann told deputy coroner Marguerite Elcock that he received a call at work from Mrs Mann on October 26 last year to say she had done "something really silly."

He took her to Accident and Emergency at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, where her mental health was assessed.

Mrs Mann was already receiving counselling and was taking anti-depressants to help with her anxiety disorder of work-related stress.

Dr Josie Conquest, who treated Mrs Mann in hospital, said in a statement that she saw the overdose as a "spur of the moment" decision.

She said: "The overdose had not been planned. She regretted her actions. She was not actively suicidal."

Mrs Mann's councillor Maria Winfield, who saw her three times in October last year, said: "She said she'd never contemplated suicide as she said could never do that to her boys."

Heather Hazell, who works for Human Resources in the children's services directorate at Worcestershire County Council, said: "Nobody at the Worcestershire County Council and school were aware of the incident."

The occupational health department was due to speak with Mrs Mann on Tuesday, November 6 to access whether she was fit to return to work.

Mrs Hazell added: "I felt given it was only on the Tuesday that arrangements could be made for the phased return."

Richard Copnall, who represents Mrs Mann's family, told Mrs Hazell that it was "risky."

He said: "Your plan fell down because occupational health wouldn't play ball."

He also asked Mrs Hazell if she had seen the note claiming that she was fit to return to work.

Mrs Hazell added: "I was going off what Mrs Mann was telling me.

"I felt that we could put some steps in place to enable a return to work if that was appropriate.

"If they have a note that says they are fit it's difficult to stop someone."

Mrs Mann was due to bring the note to work on her first day back.

Mr Mann said Mrs Mann had found her new role as headteacher tougher than she expected.

He added: "The first day she came home and shut the door and she said why the hell did you let me take this job?

"She said it [the school] was in a mess."

Mr Mann said that the day she was found dead had been a normal Monday morning.

"After she'd finished on the computer on the Sunday night she came through to me. She sat and said can you just hug me for a while and we sat there for a couple of hours.

"It didn't clock with me until a few days after how significant it was.

"On Monday, she got in the car and she she went 'oh I haven't given James a kiss' and then she ran back in and gave James a kiss and a hug and then went to work."

The inquest continues.