AN ALCOHOLIC who sank into depression after splitting with his girlfriend hanged himself from the bannisters of his home, an inquest has heard.

Tests after his death revealed that carpenter Mark Powling, 53, had been drinking heavily before suspending himself over a stairwell at The Limes in London Road, Harbledown, Canterbury.

The hearing was told that Mr Powling was a long-term alcoholic who was prone to bouts of very heavy drinking.

It was his alcoholism which put a strain on his relationship with his girlfriend, Maria McDonald from Deal, who asked him to move out of her house until he had "sorted himself out".

Mr Powling went to live at the home of his brother, Nick Powling in Harbledown, but continued to call and text Miss McDonald.

In her statement, she also said he had also recently lost his job and had money worries which caused him to drink more.

She added: "We tried to patch things up and he kept asking me to take him back.

"But I said only if he stopped drinking. He said he was depressed and might as well kill himself.

"He left a message on my phone saying that he loved me but I never thought he would actually take his own life."

His body was discovered by a tenant of the property, teacher Paul Brewer, on June 5 after he returned to Canterbury from a short break away.

Through a window, he saw Mr Powling hanging from the bannisters by a rope and called the police.

An investigation concluded there were no suspicious circumstances and a post mortem confirmed death had been from suspension.

Nick Powling said he had spoken to his brother from America a few days before his death and that there was no inclination that anything was wrong, although he was aware of his money worries.

He said that even during heavy bouts of drinking, his brother maintained his judgement, both physically and mentally.

Coroner Rebecca Cobb said there was sufficient evidence to conclude that he had intended to take his own life and recorded a suicide verdict.