A DANCER left a suicide note for her ex-boyfriend, saying: "I have died by fire."

And minutes after writing the note, Sinenhlanhla Pretty Mhlongo, 19, poured petrol over herself and set it alight, a Huddersfield inquest was told.

Miss Mhlongo, from Durban, South Africa, was staying in a house in Park Drive South, near Greenhead Park, with fellow members of the Mighty Zulu Nation theatre company, which was touring the country.

The group of 18 dancers and performers arrived in the UK in February last year. Miss Mhlongo began a relationship with 26-year-old dancer Siphiwe Phillanc in April.

The couple broke up on November 10, pushing Miss Mhlongo `over the edge', the inquest was told.

On the same day, she left Mr Phillanc a note half in English and half in Zulu, poured petrol over her body and set herself on fire in Greenhead Park.

Park warden John Patton was one of the first on the scene.

A statement he made to police was read out by coroner Roger Whittaker.

In it, Mr Patton said he was making a regular check at about 2.25pm when he saw about eight men running across the park.

He spoke to two of them, who said they were looking for a woman who had tried to `burn herself'.

Mr Patton's statement went on: "My colleague said there had been a fire near the war memorial.

"When we got up there I could see smoke coming from the back of it and I rang the police."

Miss Mhlongo was found in the Park Drive South house. She suffered 84% burns to her body.

Ambulance crews took her to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

She was transferred to Wythenshawe Hospital, near Manchester, where she died on February 20 after the burns became septic.

The day after Miss Mhlongo set herself on fire Mr Phillanc found the suicide note.

It read: "You will find me in the park. That is where I died. You will see that I have died by fire."

Mr Whittaker recorded a verdict of suicide.

He added that although Miss Mhlongo had not died until more than three months later she had intended to kill herself.