The father of a woman who hanged herself with a pair of shoelaces is demanding to know why she was not kept under closer supervision.

Frank Driver, of Ford Road, St Leonards, Hastings, told an inquest: "There are a lot of questions I need answered."

Vivienne Driver, 32, died in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, south London, on May 27.

Pathologist Peter Jerreat said he found a ligature mark on her neck which matched a length of knotted white shoelace.

An inquest at Southwark, London, was told yesterday that Miss Driver had a history of psychiatric problems, although her father denied this.

A report from her GP said she had come to see him at the beginning of this year because she was becoming depressed. She was particularly worried about impending court proceedings.

Miss Driver, who was living in Abbey Wood, south London, was involved in a drugs case due to be heard at Maidstone Crown Court.

Police said she was "accused of holding drugs at her address rather then being involved in their sale and distribution".

Eventually Miss Driver was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth. There she told consultant psychiatrist Dr Philip Steadman she wanted to sign herself out so she could kill herself in a nearby woodland.

Dr Steadman wanted to detain her in hospital under the Mental Health Act but could not get the agreement of two other psychiatric experts, required by law.

Nurses on the psychiatric ward said that they had been told to check on Miss Driver every 15 minutes. Mr Driver told the court he had been informed it was only an hourly check.

Nursing assistant Victor Ekuaum said he had checked on Miss Driver at about 3am on the day she died. The door of her room was locked and she was sitting on the floor, apparently listening to her CD player.

He called duty staff nurse June Worrell. When the pair entered the room they noticed the shoelace round Miss Driver's neck and attached to the window frame. She showed no signs of life.

When police arrived they found a number of notes addressed to the dead woman's family.

Deputy coroner Dr Adela Williams recorded a verdict of suicide.