A journalist who denied she was pregnant gave birth at home alone – then caught the bus to hospital with her dead baby in a carrier bag, an inquest has heard.

Emma Kerns, who worked at the Ilkeston Advertiser, refused to admit her pregnancy throughout, instead telling friends and family she had put on weight after over-indulging at Christmas, and gave birth alone at her flat in Sheffield.

A doctor told the court that the baby girl, who died within hours of being born without medical help, could have survived if she had been born in hospital.

The hearing at Sheffield’s Medico Legal Centre heard that the 25-year-old gave birth alone in bed in March 2006, but did not call an ambulance or seek medical attention for the child.