ANTI-SUICIDE posters should be placed in Swindon’s multi-storey car parks, a Wiltshire coroner has said.

Nicholas Rheinberg, HM Assistant Coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon, will write to Swindon Borough Council advising that posters with information for those considering suicide be pasted in the car parks.

It came as an inquest ruled that a 60-year-old woman found dead on Gordon Gardens on December 1 last year died as a result of jumping from the Fleming Way car park.

It was suggested live-in carer Karen Wiggins, of Bishopstone, had taken her own life after a job offer in London fell through. “I was supposed to be moving on but it hasn’t worked out either,” she wrote in a letter to her brother, part of which was read out at the inquest.

Assistant coroner Mr Rheinberg demanded improvements from the council. He said: “I have a duty when it occurs to me that a person or organisation might be in a position to help prevent a similar tragedy to make a report to that person or organisation.

“I announce my intention to write to the chief executive of Swindon Borough Council, pointing to the fact that there have been a number of deaths in conjunction with deliberate falls from car parks in the area and drawing the chief executive’s attention to the possibility of some form of notice or message to be posted at car parks, for instance giving details of the Samaritans.

“In my experience suicide can often be unplanned and if you avoid the particular moment it’s sometimes possible to avoid the tragedy altogether. It’s sometimes an impulsive act and anything that can be done to prevent future tragedies should be pursued.”

The council will have a month to respond to the report, either setting out planned improvements or explaining why they will take no action. Mr Rheinberg said: “The hope is that one can learn by tragedies and future tragedies can on occasion be averted.”

The coroner had earlier asked council parking officer Anthony O’Sullivan, who was one of the first to find Mrs Wiggins’ body, whether there were any posters in the Fleming Way car park giving the number of the Samaritans.

“No, there isn’t,” he replied. “That is a good idea. I might put that forward.” Mr O’Sullivan said the car park had seen problems with youths ripping down posters.

Mr Rheinberg asked Det Con Nigel Bullimore, who investigated Mrs Wiggins' death, how many deaths there had been at Fleming Way car park. The police officer said: “It is common knowledge that multi-storey car parks in town are favoured areas for people who are intending to end their lives.” He backed the proposals for Samaritans posters in the car parks.

Mr Rheinberg suggested the loss of a promised job in St John’s Wood, London, may have played a part in her death: “It must have been a very considerable disappointment, the job she was looking forward to was no longer available to her.”

Mr Rheinberg gave the cause of death suicide, with Mrs Wiggins’ traumatic injuries consistent with a fall from height.

Swindon Borough Council said they had previously worked with the Samaritans to put up posters in their car parks. A review would see how similar tragedies could be stopped in the future

The Samaritans are available to help anybody in distress and can be reached at any time of the day or night free on 116 123 or by email at jo@samaritans.org.