A psychiatric patient may have died as part of a suicide pact with another patient, an inquest heard.

Laurey Wigglesworth's death sparked a police investigation after staff at the Cygnet Hospital, Wyke, found her hanged in a bathroom in September last year.

The Bradford inquest was told there had been a suspected incident of Mrs Wigglesworth aiding and abetting a fellow patient in suicide in 2001 and Detective Constable Alexander Grummett told the hearing he had investigated the circumstances surrounding Mrs Wigglesworth death.

The court heard Mrs Wigglesworth had struck up a friendship with another patient, Patient A, who had attempted suicide just minutes before the deceased's body was found.

DC Grummett told the hearing Patient A had been questioned about a pact but denied the allegation. He added: "My view is that it was very suspicious. I do believe to this day something happened between them. For them both to have harmed themselves at the same time is suspicious."

The inquest was told Mrs Wigglesworth should have been checked on by staff every 15 minutes, but shortly before she was due to looked on at 3pm the alarm was raised after Patient A had been found with a ligature around her neck.

Because of this emergency, staff did not get to check on Mrs Wigglesworth until at least 3.10pm, at which point she was unconscious.

Ward manger, Howard Grimshaw, managed to resuscitate her but she never regained consciousness and died in hospital a few days later.

Patient A suffered no lasting damage.

Assistant deputy coroner James Turnbull heard evidence for Mrs Wigglesworth's husband, Barry, who told the court his wife would often tie ligatures round her neck just before she knew she would be found.

"She seemed to like the inevitable attention these acts would bring her," he said.

"Laruey never had any intention to kill herself and only committed these acts to attract attention."

Recording a verdict of misadventure, Mr Turnbull, praised the work of the hospital and said there was not enough evidence to say Mrs Wigglesworth had deliberately killed herself, adding that she would enjoy the euphoria of being saved at the last minute.