A MOTHER being treated for depression and said to be in “great fear for her safety” took her children to school, then jumped to her death from a motorway bridge, an inquest heard.

Teresa Kelly, 39, who lived in Blind Lane, Mersham, near Ashford, died on November 6 last year after jumping onto a passing lorry from Sevington Bridge, which crosses over the M20 near junction 10 at .

A coroner’s court heard that Mrs Kelly, who had three young children, had been in a troubled relationship with a man after separating from her husband, Tony Kelly.

Mr Kelly said: “She did suffer from depression and she left home about six weeks before she died.

“Then two weeks before her death she started visiting me more than she had done before, spending more time with me and talking to me.

“She said the relationship with this other man was going wrong and she was thinking of getting out of it.”

Mr Kelly said his wife moved back into the family home. “She was concerned for her safety,” he added. “She was very frightened as she was being terrorised by the other man with relentless text messages.”

Her sister, Caroline Ridley, who lives in Church Road, Smeeth, said: “I saw Teresa last the week before she went back to Tony.

“She was frightened, and cried a few times.”

Det Sgt Mark Buck told the inquest that the man Mrs Kelly had been in a relationship with had been arrested on suspicion of hitting her.

Mrs Kelly did not want to press charges and returned home to her husband the same day.

“She was very scared of this man,” said Det Sgt Buck. “I was also told that Caroline was harassed by calls from him.

“She believes she received 40 of them and that he was trying to speak to Teresa.”

The coroner Rachel Redman said the man was now facing criminal proceedings. She returned a verdict of suicide.

“I am horrified by the circumstances of this death,” Mrs Redman added. “I have no doubt Mrs Kelly remained in great fear for her safety.

“But something more must have happened on that morning when she drove to the motorway bridge and jumped.”