A two-time British cane dancing champion described as a “national treasure” hung while suffering from depression during coronavirus closure.
Jessica Leanne Norris, 27, was found unanswered at a friend’s house in Bolton on June 15, 2020, The Sun reported on an investigation.
“Don’t come in. Call 999. I’m sorry,” the tragic woman wrote in a note she placed on her bedroom door, according to the media.
Norris, who won the Miss Pole Dance UK title in 2011 and 2015, had had mental health issues since she was a teenager, the audience was told.
“Jess led a structural life and struggled when the blockade meant she couldn’t teach or participate in cane dance competitions,” said her mother, Alanna Norris.
The young woman, who had taken antidepressants while working as a fitness instructor, stayed at her friend Brian Compton’s home during the country’s first closure.
On the morning of her death, Compton registered with her via text message, but received no response while working, The Sun reported. When he returned, he discovered his body in the bedroom.
A toxicologist found no evidence of drugs or alcohol in his system, according to the report.
The avid cane dancer, who founded her first studio when she was just 15, launched a fundraiser for mental health charities in 2019.
Kay Penney, founder of Miss Pole Dance UK, described Norris as a “national treasure”.
“Thank you for your contribution and as a true ambassador of the aerial arts, touching so many lives, hearts and souls, uplifting many of us with your entertaining, unforgettable and fascinating routines,” Penney said, according to The Sun.
“Thank you for your unquestionable dedication and sharing your talent through many classes, master classes, camps, events and competitions,” he added.
“You shone like a beacon of hope on so many stages and your legacy will live forever in pole history and personally as my pole daughter, who constantly showed your gratitude over the years and during your reign as to double champion of single women “.