A "BRIGHT and fun" bar supervisor took her own life after becoming depressed about her benefits being reduced, an inquest heard.

Talisa-Rose Smith, 27, was found dead by friends in a flat above a pub after feeling "down" about a reduction in her Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

She had also been informed her housing benefit was being reduced and received a notice to quit her flat above the Old Farmhouse pub by May 2.

Talisa had suffered with mental health problems since school where she first started self-harming.

She is also a friend of Claire Tavener, who was murdered by husband Andrew Tavener in their hometown of Nailsea, Somerset, in January 2018.

The inquest heard she had suffered with post-traumatic stress disorder following Claire's tragic death.

Talisa met best friend Kathryn Irish, who she had known for 10 years, for a drink at The Sawyers Arms in Nailsea, where she worked as a bar supervisor.

Ms Irish said Talisa "seemed fine" but she later met with her boyfriend Matthew Wilke who said she "got in a huff" because he didn't want to stay with her that night.

She text another friend during the evening telling him she was "driving her car around as fast and she could" adding that she "was done", Avon Coroners Court heard.

Friends and Talisa's mum tried to contact her but got no response the following day.

Best friend Kathryn visited Talisa's flat, throwing stone chippings at the window in a bid to rouse her.

They then collected a ladder where they climbed up to the window and saw Talisa inside her front room.

They rushed upstairs and forced open the doors of the flat to find Talisa.

Despite attempts to revive her, Talisa was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem examination gave the cause of death as hanging.

Toxicology reports showed Talisa had levels in excess of the safe drink driving limit in her system as well as traces of cocaine.

The assistant coroner for Avon, Myfanwy Buckeridge, reached the conclusion that Talisa took her own life but the question of intent was unclear.