Friends and neighbours of Katherine Ward, 52, were mystified last night why the vivacious, talented and wealthy solicitor took her own life.

The woman, who was originally from America but became a British citizen five years ago and was working as a senior executive at Rolls-Royce, was clearly seen to be distressed as she clambered on to the ledge outside the fourth-floor hotel bedroom that she had booked into the night before.

She killed herself at Jurys Hotel, South Kensington, West London, less than half a mile from her flat.

As a small crowd gathered beneath her, a photographer recorded the events leading to her death.

Members of the public alerted the police after spotting her perched on the ledge at noon on Tuesday. One officer leant out of a window, desperately pleading with Miss Ward not to jump.

Jon Bushell, 39, the photographer who captured the moment Miss Ward leapt, said: “She rocked back and forth and it seemed like a cry for attention. Suddenly she bent her legs and held her arms out as if she was diving in a swimming pool and jumped. Everyone was stunned.”

Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.

The police were keeping an open mind about what caused her to take her own life, but it is thought that she may have been suffering from depression in recent weeks. Detectives were also trying to establish whether she had taken any anti-depressants in the hours leading up to her suicide.

Keith Oliver, a senior partner for the law firm Peters & Peters and who has known Miss Ward since she arrived in Britain 20 years ago, said: “She was very highly regarded in the profession as a person of immense professional talent. She was one of the warmest, kindest and most generous individuals you are ever likely to meet.

“No one can comprehend why this happened. She had no worries whatsoever as far as I could see. She was vivacious, extremely intelligent and great company. This has come out of the blue.”

Miss Ward had checked into the hotel alone on Monday evening, despite owning a home in nearby Onslow Gardens. A devoted Manchester United fan, she had told friends earlier that she had planned to see the team play Arsenal on Tuesday night.

She had also said that she was intending to go on holiday in three weeks to Oman with her best friend. She was also due to fly to California for her father’s 90th birthday next week.

Miss Ward was born in California, where she married and divorced. She trained as an attorney in America and worked for the US law firm Pepper, Hamilton & Scheetz before moving to Britain in the mid-1980s where she qualified in corporate law.

She then worked with the multinational partnership McFadden, Pilkington & Ward. In 1997 she was poached by Rolls-Royce Power Ventures, a subsidiary of the main Rolls-Royce company, and became the head of the company’s legal department.

She earned a six-figure salary and was due to buy a three-bedroom home in Kensington and was expected to rent out her nearby one-bedroom, first-floor flat, where she had lived alone.

Miss Ward was a member of the International Bar Association (IBA) and had attended a recent IBA conference in the Mexican resort of Cancún as an expert on corruption.

Neighbours of Miss Ward, who live in the four-storey mansion block, said that they were bewildered about why she had killed herself.

A housekeeper at a flat in the block said that she was shocked by the news.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: “She was such a lovely lady. I’m shocked to hear about this. She always said hello when I saw her and seemed quite happy.

“The last time I saw her was a couple of weeks ago. She seemed her usual self, not in the least bit unhappy.”

A spokesman for Rolls-Royce said: “Everyone in the company who worked with her is deeply shocked. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.

“Rolls-Royce will do everything we can to assist with the necessary arrangements that must now follow.”

An inquest into her death is due to open next week.

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