PATRICIA STOUTE’S death, jumping from Carfax Tower as she failed to come to terms with her debts, is a tragic one.

Mrs Stoute had 14 credit and store cards and debts approaching £25,000, and had previously tried to take her life.

Yesterday, Oxfordshire coroner Nicholas Gardiner concluded it was likely to be what caused her to jump to her death, and her husband Kenneth feels the same.

He is now urging other people in financial trouble to reach out to the agencies that can help.

We echo that call.

Mrs Stoute must have been in a dark place when she decided to take her own life.

Hopefully, not many people are feeling similarly desperate, but thousands are suffering in the current economic climate.

They will be feeling fearful of losing their homes, perhaps ashamed to have reached such a point and possibly trying to ignore the problem.

The reality is financial problems will not magically disappear and they have to be confronted.

There are organisations out there willing and able to help.

People just need to take that brave first step and ask them.

Better that than another tragedy.