A FORMER Bolton School pupil who suffered from “dark moods” took a fatal overdose of anti-depressants, an inquest heard.

Fay Turner died aged just 20 in July after a row with her ex-boyfriend.

The overdose of prescribed medication was the latest in a number taken by Miss Turner, who had a history of mental health illnesses including anorexia and depression.

Miss Turner’s father, Philip Turner, of Andrew Lane, Bolton, described his daughter as a bright girl.

In her early teens she developed anorexia and was referred to the mental health services for help.

But she left the private school with good GCSE results, he added.

Mr Turner said: “She was complex, she was very bright, very perceptive. She did have image problems but at the same time she was very gregarious and popular.”

Miss Turner dropped out of Turton School sixth form after doing the first year of her A-level course after her “mental health deteriorated”.

At the time of her death, she was an art student at Bolton Community College, with aspirations to go to university to become a primary school art teacher.

But the inquest heard she would react to problems in an “impulsive and spontaneous” way and had on previous occasions called an ambulance after taking an overdose.

On July 20, Miss Turner was living in Rutland Drive, Bolton, after splitting from her boyfriend, Ashley Smith, aged 20.

On that day they had a row and, he told the inquest, he left to go for a walk.

When he arrived back at Rutland Drive he found empty tablet packets on the floor. He said that when Miss Turner came downstairs she was acting “really weird, slurring her words and stopping and starting sentences”.

She tried to call for an ambulance, but Mr Smith stepped in and called the emergency services himself. Miss Turner died later in hospital.

Assistant deputy coroner Peter Watson, recording an open verdict, was “not satisfied” she intended to take her life when she took the overdose.

He added that despite support from her family, Miss Turner “acted impulsively and spontaneously to problems that confronted her” when suffering from “dark moods”.

schaudhari@ theboltonnews.co.uk