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Staff and shoppers watched in horror today as a woman killed herself by slitting her throat in a busy Asda store.

As people bought their lunches on the way to work, she took a knife from a shelf and stabbed herself in the neck, according to staff.

An Asda worker, who did not wish to be named, said: “It was no accident. A woman has gone to the hardware section and slit her throat.”

One of the store’s first aiders desperately tried to save her as she lay dying in a pool of blood in the kitchenware aisle.

But the Asian woman – aged between 20 and 40 – died at the scene around 9am this morning.

A witness said: “One of the young men who works there actually saw the woman stabbing herself in the throat. He’s in terrible shock.

“Staff told me that the woman had come in, taken a knife from a rack in the hardware department, torn it out of the packaging and then stabbed herself.”

Shoppers at the 24-hour store in Shipley, West Yorkshire, were ushered out as police interviewed staff and witnesses, and examined CCTV to try and identify the dead woman.

(Image: Ben Lack/Mirror)

They later said footage showed that the woman was on her own before and during the tragedy, dismissing earlier reports that she had entered the supermarket with a Polish friend.

Student Kerry Morgan, 19, said: “I was down at the other end of the supermarket getting something for my lunch when suddenly we were all told to leave.

“I didn’t think anything of it until I was outside and this fella, another shopper, came past looking pale and saying a lady had attacked herself with a knife and there was blood everywhere.

“He looked really distressed.

“I didn’t see the lady, but the shop was pretty busy with people doing shopping before work.”

Another witness told how staff had tried to save the pony-tailed woman, who was dressed in a dark blue top and trousers. “One of the shop’s first-aiders was trying to give CPR,” he said.

Paramedics soon arrived but were unable to revive the woman.

(Image: Ben Lack/Mirror)

The store re-opened this afternoon after all the knives from the aisle where she died had been removed from the shelves.

Police confirmed they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the tragedy.

A police statement said: “A number of enquiries have been carried out to try and identify the woman, who is Asian and believed to be aged between 20 and 40 years old.

“She is described as having shoulder-length dark hair which was tied in a ponytail and was wearing dark blue top and trousers with large silver buttons to the front and a lighter blue or purple scarf.”

Detective Inspector Ryan Bragg said: “We have tried various means to identify this woman but as yet have not been able to do so.”

An Asda spokesman said last night: “We are aware of an incident in our Shipley store this morning and our thoughts are with the individual’s family at this time.

“Our priority at this time is looking after our colleagues and supporting the police in their investigation.”