A woman who had a morbid fascination about the way Princess Diana died crashed her car into a lamppost at high speed -- an inquest heard.

Lynne Walsh was thrown from the Nissan Micra following the collision only 300 metres from her home, on the B6265, next to Utley Cemetery, near Keighley, last May.

Mrs Walsh, 39, a manic depressive was taken unconscious to Airedale General Hospital but died from multiple head injuries a few hours later.

The inquest was told the crash happened after two psychiatrists thought she needed medical help. Bradford Coroner's Court heard how she suffered mood swings, thought there was a conspiracy against her and had a morbid fascination about the way the Princess of Wales died

It emerged she threatened to "chuck" herself under a train after an argument with a neighbour and walked into a local shop brandishing a knife in her hand.

In a separate incident, Miss Walsh also threw items including glasses, knives and forks from her second floor flat in Skipton Road, Beechcliffe, Keighley.

She then went outside and laid herself on a road before two men took her on to the pavement.

Later that morning, she was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and taken to Keighley Police Station.

Concerns were raised about her mental health and arrangements were made for her to be seen by two psychiatrists.

Both of them believed she was ill and needed to go to hospital so that she could be assessed.

Babar Mirza, a social worker for Bradford Council, said he could not find any evidence to suggest she was a risk to herself.

But in making that assessment, he had problems getting information from files on a Sunday.

Margaret Errington, a social services manager for the Bradford District Care Trust, told the inquest steps were going to be taken to have access to records at all times.

Miss Walsh was charged with various offences and released on bail three days before her death.

She could not go back to her flat and decided to see a friend in Cumbria before returning to Keighley.

Saiqul Miah said he was travelling from Steeton to Keighley during the night when she overtook him in the Micra, reaching speeds of 65-70mph.

He described how the car went out of sight before there was a flash. He then saw the car after the collision.

The inquest heard how the lamppost was demolished in the crash while the car had "horrendous'' damage.

Accident investigator Ian Lambton said he believed the speed of the impact was at 40-50 mph, but it could have been higher.

He added Miss Walsh was not wearing a seat belt, but it would have snapped had it been used.

Coroner Roger Whittaker ruled out suicide and recorded a verdict of accidental death.