A mother whose daughter hanged herself just 11 months after her brother killed himself in the same way has hit out at the local authority for not supporting her family.

Nicola Pollard's 17-year-old daughter, Abigail, hanged herself from a tree after being assaulted on a night out in Newcastle in January this year.

Just 11 months earlier, Abigail's older brother, Dean, took his own life at the same spot, aged 22.

The tree has since been chopped down at the request of the family.

Pollard, an ambulance driver, told her daughter's inquest that her children would still be alive if they had received more support.

"If Dean hadn't committed suicide then Abbie wouldn't have done," the mother told Karen Dilk, coroner at Newcastle.

"And if Dean, Abbie and myself had received appropriate help from social services when we asked for it, then none of us would be in this room today."

In response to her criticisms, Newcastle city council said it had commissioned an external review into the case, which had made a number of unspecified recommendations.

The inquest heard how Abigail had been known to the local authority for more than a decade after behavioural problems at home and school.

It also heard evidence that she had attempted suicide twice following the death of her brother, but that in the month preceding her death social workers and her mum believed she was getting better.

"She was a vulnerable young person," said social worker Victoria Chamberlain, "and there were concerns about her home life and brother's death. She also had alcohol issues but she had a really good support network and was engaging with drug and alcohol services.

"When we saw her in the December things were going well, her relationship with her mother was improving and she was considered a low risk, with no immediate concerns about self harm. It couldn't have been predicted she would take her life at that time."

On the night of her death Abigail had been out with a friend in Newcastle city centre, but had been involved in an argument with another group and was the victim of assault.

She then returned to her mum's house in Brunswick, north of Newcastle, in the early hours of 13 January, where Pollard was in the bath.

"Abbie was drunk but not stumbling," said the mother. "But she was upset.

"I kept asking: 'What's wrong? Where's your friend? Why is there mud on your jacket?' but she said nothing. She went to leave and I said: 'Please don't do this,' but she went off and I was left stood at the front door in my dressing gown."

Abigail was found in a copse of trees nearby a short while later. The emergency services attended, but it was not possible to revive her. The coroner recorded that Abigail's death was suicide.

This week tributes to the brother and sister were left on the tree-stump where the pair died.

A spokesman for Newcastle city council confirmed it had felled an "elder shrub" following a request by the family.

Ewen Weir, the council's director of wellbeing, care and learning, said: "We'd like to express our condolences to Nicola Pollard during what must be an extremely harrowing time. We can confirm that Newcastle city council has had involvement with the Pollard family over a number of years with social workers and other members of staff working hard to provide support and assistance.

"Nicola Pollard has been involved in a review into our involvement, this was carried out by an independent third party. This report, which contains a number of recommendations, will be shared with the city's safeguarding children's board and people who work in children's services across Newcastle."