A police employee unhappy at a work transfer took her own life, an inquest has heard.

Susan Firth, 52, whose job as a word processor for West Yorkshire Police had moved from Bradford to Leeds, hanged herself at the home where she lived alone in Moore Avenue, Buttershaw.

She was found on June 21, last year by neighbours who had gone to investigate why her curtains were still drawn.

The inquest in Bradford yesterday heard Miss Firth had been having problems at work, which were being resolved, but she was involved in an appeal – the outcome of which had not been decided at the time of her death.

The inquest was also told Miss Firth had a history of self-harming and in 2010 had twice tried to hang herself and had also taken an overdose.

She was last seen by her neighbours a few days before she was found. She had been walking up her garden path and had waved to them. But on June 21 neighbours got anxious as to why she had not opened her curtains and gone to work as normal.

Ranuka Amin, who knew Miss Firth was having problems at work, said later that day she and her husband took the spare key they had to check on her and found the door shut but unlocked.

They went inside and found her hanging in a doorway in the living room. They ran back home to call the police.

Police investigated to check there had been no suspicious circumstances. Detective Mark Long said it was because the door had been unlocked and “anyone could have come in and out” that they had to make sure.

A note in Miss Firth’s handwriting was left. Assistant deputy coroner Roger Whittaker said it did not make “crystal clear her intentions” but went some way towards it.

Her brother Stephen Firth told the inquest how at first he had feared she had been robbed.

A statement read out from Miss Firth’s estranged sister Stephanie Barlow said she had not spoken to her sister for 12 years after a family fall-out despite efforts to make-up.

She also said she was aware her sister had been unhappy about being moved to work in Leeds.

However, Miss Firth’s brother, who was in regular contact with his sister, said she had seemed fine the last time they spoke and he did not agree with what Mrs Barlow had said. He said he also knew nothing of the self-harming history and that her death had come as “a complete shock”.

Recording a verdict that Miss Firth had taken her own life, Mr Whittaker said: “It’s a sad case.”