An aspiring veterinary nurse died after being found hanged at a mental health unit a day after escaping from the facility, an inquest heard.

Lauren Finch was found collapsed in her room at Atherleigh Park Hospital in Leigh, where she was a patient, on September 17 last year.

She died from her injuries in hospital a week later.

On Tuesday (October 1), an inquest into the 23-year-old's death heard Lauren had tried to take her own life on several occasions in the months - and had escaped from the facility on several occasions.

Her mother Victoria criticised the response of staff at the facility, who she accused of failing to listen to her concerns and being 'dismissive' of her daughter's feelings.

She told the inquest she could not understand why Lauren kept being discharged without any care arrangements in place, despite repeated attempts to end her life.

(Image: Google)

She added: "It was like a constant rollercoaster for Lauren and myself.

"I thought somewhere like that hospital would have been able to do more for Lauren and not allow something like this to happen.

"Nothing changed, it was like she was just another number.

"She gave up in the end, she had just lost faith."

The inquest, at Bolton Coroners' Court, heard Lauren, from Wigan, had a history of mental illness and had been diagnosed with depression, anxiety and ‘emotionally unstable personality disorder’.

Her mental health worsened in early 2018, and she spent several periods on the Westleigh Ward at Atherleigh Park Hospital, the inquest heard.

She was first admitted to the hospital on a self-referral basis in March 2018 after experiencing 'disturbed thoughts' and a desire to self-harm.

Lauren was discharged from the facility a week later - a decision her mother was unhappy about as she felt it was 'not enough time to make a difference'.

Throughout the summer, Lauren was admitted to the hospital several times following repeated attempts to take her own life.

On one occasion, on April 28, police were called after a member of public saw her threatening to jump into a river at Haigh Country Park in Wigan.

In June, she had to be pulled back from the edge of a multi-storey car park in Wigan town centre by a police officer.

Less than two weeks later, Lauren was again found on a bridge in Haigh Country Park after self-harming and taking a large quantity of tablets.

She was repeatedly sectioned before being discharged from the hospital.

Mrs Finch said she felt her daughter was being 'pushed from person to person, service to service, without the treatment she needed'.

She told the hearing she believed her daughter had 'lost trust in the service'.

"Lauren felt like she was not going to get any better and could not see a future for herself," she added.

"They seemed to dismiss her when she was telling people she felt suicidal and was then sent home with no care."

After becoming 'seriously worried' about her daughter taking her own life, Mrs Finch raised her concerns with staff, but claims they continued to be dismissed.

She added that in the days leading up to her death, Lauren had been at a 'low ebb'.

On September 13, she was sectioned once more, having been reported missing and found by police with cuts to her arm.

She had told loved ones she was heading out to take their dog for a walk, but instead left the animal tied up in the garden.

(Image: Family Handout)

Lauren was readmitted to Atherleigh Park. Staff called her mother the following day to tell her she had run off while waiting for a taxi after being discharged.

She was found on the East Lancs Road. She told police she had been making her way to the M6 to end her life.

On September 16, Lauren managed to abscond from the hospital again after following a doctor through a door.

Police officers traced her to Lilford Park and managed to restrain her following a short chase.

However, Mrs Finch said the incident left her daughter 'petrified' and with bruising to her ribs and the side of her body.

She claimed one officer had knelt on Lauren's ribs and put his fingers on a pressure point behind her ears, before calling her a 'stupid girl' and asking why she had tried to run off.

The following day, Mrs Finch contacted the manager of the ward Lauren was staying on to say she was unhappy about her care and the fact she had been allowed to escape.

She believed more should have been to ensure her safety and stop her escaping.

Later that day, Mrs Finch received the devastating phone call from staff to say her daughter had been taken to Royal Bolton Hospital after being found collapsed in her room.

Paying tribute to her daughter, Mrs Finch described her as 'an intelligent, beautiful, caring and kind girl'.

She added: "Lauren was a gentle soul and the pain of missing her is unbearable.

"She is missed every day."

The inquest, which is expected to last for nine days, continues.