A MAN who went missing a week ago has been found hanged in the New Forest.

The body of self-employed gardener Edwin Lewis, 63, was discovered near the Mill Lawn car park on the edge of Burley.

The discovery was made by police officers who were conducting a search for the missing father of two.

Mr Lewis, of Christchurch, had not been seen since May 10. He is believed to have been suffering from depression caused by money worries.

Last week his son Gavin, 30, said: "Everyone is just so worried. It's unlike Dad to just go off but he has been feeling really low."

Gavin, who has an older brother living in Leeds, said he believed his father's depression began about two years ago following the theft of gardening tools worth thousands of pounds.

He added: "The tools weren't insured and because Dad is self-employed he didn't have a choice but to carry on working and borrow money to buy new equipment.

"He was working so hard and just became very tired. He's been up and down since then."

A Hampshire Police spokesman said Mr Lewis's body was found on Saturday at 4pm.