A WOMAN who drowned in York’s River Ouse took her own life, a coroner has concluded.

Jean Cruddas, 62, of Tuke House, Cromwell Road, Bishophill, was the fifth of five people to die in York’s rivers during a tragic three week period in April.

An inquest was told on Monday that she left a note at her home in which she said she had made the decision to take her life and intended to go in the river.

Police officers said in statements that they were called after she was found by a member of the public floating face down in the water near Rowntree Park at 7.45am on April 26.

She was taken to the bank and CPR was attempted but to no avail.

A library card found on her was used to help establish her identity.

An autopsy subsequently showed she died from drowning and tests showed no indications of an overdose or substance misuse, said coroner Jon Heath, who concluded that her death was due to suicide.

GP Dr Fiona Pang, of Priory Medical Group, said she had a recent medical history of depression and suicidal thoughts, and also had a chronic history of irritable bowel syndrome.

Dr James Sampford, a consultant psychiatrist with adult mental health services in York, said she had been regularly visited at her home by staff from the crisis resolution and intensive home treatment team in the weeks leading up to her death.

He said she was suffering from severe depression, social anxiety, insomnia and feelings of hopelessness, and was worried she would become homeless.

He said her admission to hospital had been considered but she had said she did not want it and there would have been pros and cons, with a danger that her condition would worsen on a ward.

He said she was compliant with medication, to the best of his knowledge.

The deaths of five people in the River Ouse and the River Foss in April shocked York and sparked calls for a fresh review of safety along the rivers’ banks by the parents of two of the victims, 19-year-old Sonny Ferry and 29-year-old Steven O’Neill, who both drowned at the end of nights out in the city centre.

Sonny’s parents also launched a fundraising campaign to buy a new craft for York Rescue Boat in the hope of helping to prevent further such tragedies in future, which has since raised many thousands of pounds.

The Press reported earlier this week how police and a paramedic rescued a woman from the Foss near Huntington Road on Monday morning.

The woman was given CPR before being taken by ambulance to York Hospital, where North Yorkshire Police said on Monday and Tuesday that she was in a critical condition.

Asked yesterday for an update on the woman’s condition, a spokesman said the force had "no further information" at present and could not assist.

l The Samaritans says that if anyone needs someone to talk to, they will listen, and won’t judge people or tell them what to do. They say: “Call us any time, day or night. Whatever you’re going through, you can call us any time, from any phone for free. Call 116 123.” People can also visit the Samaritans at a branch - the York branch is in Nunnery Lane.