A 69-year-old woman hanged herself after failing to cope with separating from her husband, an inquest heard.

Christine Bunting, of Newland Mill, Witney, was found by friends in her garage on February 1.

The gran-of-one, a retired administrator, separated from her husband of 30 years, James Bunting, last May.

She took a prescription drug overdose just over a week before she died.

She left a suicide note for Mr Bunting, from whom she was not divorced.

Assistant coroner Nicholas Graham recorded a verdict of suicide at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court yesterday.

Mr Bunting said after the inquest his wife had been an “excellent mother” to their children James, 44, Richard, 29, and Frances, 27.

The Wood Green School geography teacher said: “Christine was well-known around Witney and was a very kind and caring woman.

“We’re all extremely sad she couldn’t see her way forward and she will be greatly missed.”