A MOTHER-of-two drove her car on to a railway line and waited to be smashed by a train to end years of work-related stress.

Worcestershire County Coroners' Court heard yesterday how Susan Smith, a ward sister in Birmingham Children's Hospital, had become worn down by more than two decades of "long hours and strain".

Twice the limit

On Monday, April 7, Mrs Smith, aged 45, was more than twice the drink-drive limit when she drove her blue Volkswagen Polo to Dunhampstead Road level crossing, in Droitwich.

The inquest heard she had plenty of time to move her car off the track before the 10-carriage Plymouth to Lowfell train arrived.

"As I came round the corner I saw a car about 400 yards ahead," said Royal Mail train driver Steven Potts, who is suffering from 'flashbacks' and is currently off work with post-traumatic stress.

"I sounded the horn and applied the brakes and then the emergency brakes, but I knew if the car did not move I stood no chance of stopping. I could see an adult sitting in the car just watching my train approaching.

"She had ample time to leave the car if she wanted. I would say there was an eight second gap before we hit."

The train was travelling at 95mph along the stretch of track - which has a 100mph limit - and the car was shunted more than quarter-of-a-mile before it came to a halt.

Mrs Smith's husband, Mark, said she had seemed "OK" on the day of the tragedy and was making plans to cut her nursing to four days a week.

"She had a difficult, stressful and often sad job looking after sick and disabled children," he said. "She regularly had to work long hours and found the stress very difficult.

"But her health was very good and though she was a bit difficult to reason with on the day, it had caused me no real concern. She was an excellent wife, mother and nurse."

A suicide note was left but Mr Smith, of Hadzor Lane, Hadzor, near Droitwich, said there was no reasonable explanation for the incident.

County Coroner Victor Round, recorded the verdict she had taken her own life.