Woman's shopping centre suicide bid

3:46pm Wednesday 26th November 2008

A 46-year-old woman has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act after slitting her wrists and taking an overdose inside the Emery Gate shopping centre.

The woman locked herself into a toilet cubicle just before 2pm on Saturday and used a knife to slash both wrists after swallowing 27 painkillers.

Police were alerted after a woman noticed blood pouring from underneath the door.

Acting sergeant for the Chippenham Neighbourhood Policing Unit Mat Jacobs said: "This is a particularly sad incident and one which brought a lot of alarm to people in the shopping centre.

"I would always advise people who are considering something like this to seek help or advice from somewhere, be it the Samaritans or ourselves.

"It was very distressing."

The toilets had to be closed for more than an hour-and-a-half while they were cleaned up.