A DEPRESSED man died after fixing metal plates to his body and plugging them in to the electricity supply.

Philip Harlow, 51, left a note warning anyone who found him to switch the power off before handling his body. An inquest heard how Mr Harlow was found dead at his mother's house in Clyde Street, Canterbury, where he lived.

He had burns to his chest and back where metal plates had been attached and wired to a power point.

Police had been called to the house after Mr Harlow's mother knocked on his door and got no reply. They found him lying face down on the floor, surrounded by broken computer parts and other rubbish.

Next to the body was a hand-written note saying: "I pushed the plug in at 15.25, 08/07/01. Sorry. PS, I'm still full of electricity. Unplug first."

Recording a verdict of suicide, coroner Rebecca Cobb said: "I have no doubt Mr Harlow had meant to take his own life. In a sense the note goes some way to showing he was a thoughtful man."

The hearing was told how Mr Harlow, who was single and unemployed, had suffered from depression and had attempted suicide twice in the weeks leading up to his death.

Mrs Cobb read a statement from Mr Harlow's doctor, describing how he had ran up large debts and was worried about blackmail threats.

He had also been depressed because his mother had disconnected his phone line, preventing him from using the Internet.