Sophie Shambley, a 38-year-old mother of two from Ashton-in-Makerfield, was pronounced dead at the scene after her body was discovered on the tracks at Bryn Railway Station on Friday, 19 December 2025. An inquest held at Bolton Coroners Court on Monday, August 10, heard details of her final moments, including text messages sent to her family.
Final Messages and Family Presence
Sophie's family, including her husband Shaun Shambley, her mother Joanne McGarrigan, and her father Adrian Roscoe, were present in the courtroom. Representatives from British Transport Police, North West Ambulance Service, the NHS, and Network Rail also attended.
The court heard that Sophie had sent text messages to her mother, her children, and her husband. The message to her mother, sent at 5.30pm, read 'Good night, mum', which Joanne described as 'unusual'. Sophie also left a message on her child's phone which read: "Daddy will look after you now. Good night darling." To her husband, she wrote: "Tell the kids I love them so much and you".
Mental Health History
The court heard that Sophie had a long history of mental health difficulties dating back to 2013, when she was first diagnosed with depression and anxiety. She had experienced post-natal depression following the births of both her children and had, at one point, become estranged from her family. Her husband Shaun told the hearing: "She always said that she only had one good week a month."
In the days leading up to her death, Sophie had lost two of her grandparents. Her father, Adrian Roscoe, said: "They affected her, but I think there was other things going on in her life as well, but she didn't show everything. I think there was an accumulation of things. She found it difficult with Sean working away."
Despite these struggles, the court heard that Sophie would frequently take 'active steps' to tackle her difficulties. Her GP, Dr Sakir Patel, outlined her substantial medical history, noting that she consistently sought help when required. In 2017, she relocated to Gran Canaria with her family, and upon returning in 2020, asked for additional medication. In 2024, she 'stopped drinking altogether' and engaged with a drug, alcohol, and mental health support charity for nine months, making 'significant progress'. Dr Patel characterised her suicidal thoughts as 'fleeting' and stated there were 'no concerns' regarding her mental health in December 2025.
Final Hours and Conclusion
Shaun told the court that the family had enjoyed a 'good' day together, during which they purchased a turkey for a Christmas meal that Sophie had been planning. That evening, while speaking on the phone with her mother-in-law, Sophie said 'she did not deserve' her husband. Her mother-in-law subsequently rang Shaun, who spoke to her for an hour in the back garden. He went back inside to discover Sophie was no longer there.
The father-of-two checked a GPS application called 'Life360', which indicated Sophie's location as being on the tracks at Bryn Railway Station. Sophie's cause of death was recorded as polytrauma, with coroner Stephen Teasdale reaching the conclusion of suicide.
