A MAN who had been suffering from depression hanged himself, an inquest concluded.

Desmond Rowe was found at his house in Weston, which he had been renovating.

The Southampton inquest heard how he had been living with his partner Sue Chappell at a different address at the time and, when she had left for work that morning, Mr Rowe had not seemed different.

But when he had failed to return by the time Mrs Chappell got back from work on December 2 last year, she went to his home in Crookham Road, where she found it locked and in darkness and Mr Rowe’s car outside, the inquest heard.

Relatives were called to get access to the house and the 66-year-old was found hanging inside and police were called shortly after 6.22pm. No note was found.

A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was hanging and a toxicology report found no trace of alcohol and only therapeutic levels of depression medication.

The inquest heard he had, according to his doctor, made no mention of self-harm, though he had been on medication for depression.

Coroner for Southampton Keith Wiseman concluded that Mr Rowe had taken his own life.

After the inquest, Mrs Chappell said: “He was lovely. He was kind, generous, loving, considerate, just so handsome inside and out.

“He was the love of my life.”