Great-grandmother Greta Wiltshire drowned in the River Avon after going missing from her home last April, an inquest heard.

The 76-year-old left her home at St Aldhelm Road, Bradford on Avon, where she lived with her husband Ted, some time after 10pm on April 20 last year.

She was seen by a neighbour walking along the street in her nightclothes, and reported missing by her family at about 11.40pm that night.

Friends and neighbours searched with police and Wiltshire Search and Rescue and her body was discovered the next morning in the river near Greenland Mills.

An inquest into her death at Salisbury Coroner’s Court on Friday heard how Mrs Wiltshire suffered a panic attack a week earlier, but was in a positive state of mind days before her death.

Her son Darren Wiltshire said: “She suffered from mental illness, which started about 21 years ago, but she had been fine. She would go on holidays, and go out to the theatre, doing quite normal things.

“She had lots of grandchildren and great grandchildren; she was one of the most important people in the family.”

Mrs Wiltshire was assessed at Bath NHS House on April 19 by psychiatrist Dr Matthew Jay who said: “She was not thinking about suicide. It was my opinion that the thoughts she had earlier in the week had receded, and there was no risk of her taking her own life. My impression was that the primary problem was one of anxiety, rather than depression.”

Ian Singleton, assistant coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon, ruled out suicide as a likely cause of death, recording a narrative verdict.