A WOMAN from Teignmouth took her own life after struggling with debilitating symptoms of long Covid, an inquest was told.

Penelope Lane, 58, died after stepping from the platform at Teignmouth station into the path of a train on September 13 2023.

The inquest heard she died of catastrophic multiple injuries. The driver had no time to avoid the collision.

Coroner Luisa Nicholson returned a finding of suicide.

Ms Lane, known as Penny, worked as a gardener and cleaner and caught Covid in August 2022.

Her partner John Cowton told the hearing this time was different.

She lost her sense of smell and taste, developed brain fog, wasn’t sleeping and became increasingly depressed. Sounds hurt her ears and she felt numbness, ‘like a zombie’.

Mr Cowton felt she had been ‘let down’ by the health service and not received medical help quickly enough.

He said she made several attempts to see her GP but each time saw a nurse practitioner instead.

She had blood tests and was referred to the Long Covid team but Mr Cowton said there was a waiting list and she was in despair with no help in the meantime.

On the day she died she spoke to her GP and the Long Covid Team saying she needed help.

She had been due to deliver a letter to the GP surgery that morning but instead went to the station.

Mr Cowton said the day after she died, he received a call to say the Long Covid Team had found an appointment for her the following week.

If the appointment had come sooner, he said she would still be alive.

The inquest heard statement evidence from her GP and the clinical lead of the Torbay and South Devon Long Covid Team.

The coroner said: ‘Penny believed she was suffering from long Covid. She suffered a loss of sleep, brain fog and loss of nerve sensation.

‘The GP referred her to the Long Covid Team but before she received treatment she sadly lost her life.’

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