The family of a woman who died after setting fire to herself at a petrol station in Bath say she should have been sectioned for her own safety.
Christine Warren, 54, who had recently moved into supported accommodation in Henrietta Street, died in November 2011.
She had a long history of mental illness, dating back to her teens, and had made numerous attempts to self-harm in the years leading up to her death by the Sainsbury's petrol station at Pines Way.
Her family say that despite repeated suicide attempts, Ms Warren was always allowed back home rather than being detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act.
Her sister Julie Collings, who lives in Twerton, and father Peter Quinlan, from Southdown, attended the inquest at Flax Bourton Coroner's Court this morning.
Mrs Collings said: "She did really need to be sectioned for her own safety. She felt that when she was at home she didn't feel safe.
"She really did want to kill herself. The police were always so good, they attended to her and took her to the police station to section her and she was put into a cell for her own safety.
"But then they (the mental health team) would come down and assess her and she would ring me up, breaking her heart, saying 'they've let me go home again'."
Community psychiatric nurse Elena Ely gave evidence about the care Ms Warren had received and said living at home was the best course of action for someone suffering from borderline personality disorder.
She said: "The best outcomes are to treat people in the community, rather than putting her into an institution, which isn't a good environment for someone with this problem."
The inquest heard that Ms Warren's condition meant her moods would fluctuate, sometimes feeling more positive about life and at other times becoming extremely depressed.
It was during her low points that she would self-harm and attempt suicide.
Concerns had been raised about her state of mind in the weekend before her death, after she held a knife to her throat in a public toilet in Trowbridge, before a member of the public persuaded her to put it down.
But the mental health staff that assessed her decided she did not pose an immediate risk to herself and allowed her to go home.
On the Monday evening Ms Warren phoned Mrs Collings from the petrol station and said she was about to kill herself, before hanging up.
A number of passers-by called 999 when they saw what was happening and others attempted to douse the flames with coats and a fire extinguisher.
Ms Warren was taken to the Royal United Hospital by ambulance but had suffered severe burns to 70 per cent of her body and she did not survive.
Coroner Maria Voisin said her role was not to point the finger of blame at anyone but to determine the cause of death.
She returned a verdict of suicide, while the balance of Ms Warren's mind was disturbed.
A spokesman for Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) said: "Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of Christine Warren at this time.
"As the court heard, the coroner made no criticism of AWP's staff or services and a verdict of suicide was recorded."
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