A mum with a history of mental illness died after being restrained by her husband and a church minister while having a psychotic episode, an inquest heard.

Susan Tyler, 53, suffered a violent attack during which she bit and scratched husband Hugh at the family home in Grain.

Mr Tyler, called an ambulance and asked friend Michael Broad, who was at the time a minister at St James’ Church in the village, to come round.

When police and two ambulance crew arrived Mrs Tyler was lying face down in the living room.

PC Faye Mills told an inquest there was "no noise" and Mrs Tyler was "motionless". She said: "I don’t believe she was breathing."

Mrs Tyler died the next day at Medway Maritime Hospital.

She had suffered psychiatric problems since the birth of her first daughter, was also a diabetic, was being treated for depression and had self-harmed.

Mr Tyler, who was his wife’s carer, said in the morning she acted erratically, throwing herself to her knees saying "God had turned his back on her". The Broads came round to visit and she ordered them out saying they had been sent by the devil.

She started biting a scratching Mr Tyler who held her on the settee with one hand while he called the ambulance with the other. He then called Mr Broad who lived nearby

Mr Broad, a former policeman, advised him to get her on to the ground where they had more room to handle her.

Mr Broad said: "I have never seen anything like it in my life. Rob was bleeding from the chest and face and saying he couldn’t hold her. She tried to bite me."

Both men told the inquest she quietened down and they thought she had "fallen asleep".

The inquest was adjourned and will resume on Wednesday.